The authors of the article emphasize that, given the contemporary conditions in Ukraine necessitating legislative changes, particularly those concerning the reinforcement of criminal liability for offenses committed during a state of war, it is also crucial to undertake a scholarly analysis of legislative novelties. This analysis can substantiate their feasibility or, conversely, identify legal issues they may engender, such as conflicts, gaps, competition between legal norms, and so forth.

It is noted that military criminal offenses are outlined in Section XIX of the Special Part of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which contains the definition of military criminal offenses. The societal danger of these offenses is justified by the threat they pose to the effectiveness of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations created in accordance with Ukrainian laws, which are a guarantee of maintaining peace, national security, and territorial integrity.

The article underscores the importance of both a properly organized system of law enforcement agencies and a system of legal norms establishing grounds for holding guilty individuals accountable. The authors focus on studying the legislative provisions regarding desertion in the Criminal Code of Ukraine and the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses. From the analysis of judicial practice, it is evident that this type of military offense is the most widespread within the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The relevance of the article lies in the necessity to analyze the amendments made to the relevant legislative acts.

For example, new features of administrative and criminal liability for AWOL. Based on the research of criminal law scholars and lawyers, several problems related to the qualification of this type of military offense are presented. Drawing from the analysis of the outlined qualification problems of AWOL under Ukrainian law, the article discusses methods to overcome them.

Key words: military offenses, criminal liability, Criminal Code of Ukraine, Armed Forces of Ukraine, military personnel, state of war.

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