Karina Bovsunovskaya10:55, 14.09.24

At the same time, Russian deserters expose themselves to the risk of criminal prosecution.

Some Russians are fleeing the Russian Federation to avoid being sent to war in Ukraine . In particular, Ivan from St. Petersburg shared his experience for The Moscow Times .

The man entered the military medical academy to become a doctor. He graduated this year, but faced with compulsory military service, but not wanting to participate in the war, he fled the country to avoid being drafted to the front.

“From the very beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, I knew that this war was unfair. I was categorically against it. On the one hand, you are fulfilling your medical duty, and on the other, you are supporting the regime,” Ivan emphasized.

Even though the man was a medical officer and not a combat soldier when he was called up, he illegally crossed the border and now lives in another country. For this, he faces up to 15 years in prison if he returns to Russia.

The publication notes that he is not the only one, because for many Russians who do not want to fight against Ukraine, desertion is the only way out. The reasons for such a decision can be different. Sometimes the military decides to flee after seeing the horrors of the front with their own eyes.

“My hands are covered in blood. I can’t confirm whether I actually killed an enemy… with a direct hit. I can’t count the exact number, but it’s definitely more than 1,000 people,” Russian deserter Denis told The Insider, describing his experience as an assistant drone operator.

At the same time, deserters risk criminal prosecution. However, anti-war activists who help Russian soldiers desert told The Moscow Times that the number of deserters is growing.

While it is impossible to determine the exact number of Russian soldiers who have defected, the Russian project Idite Lesom (“Disappear”) said it had helped more than 900 people desert.

At the same time, the project’s founder Grigory Sverdlin says that Belarus and Kyrgyzstan are considered dangerous countries for deserters due to their governments’ close cooperation with Moscow. However, in Armenia and Kazakhstan, such men are not guaranteed safety either.

In particular, Ivan from St. Petersburg noted that he was “informed that he was wanted for desertion.”

“I understand that I am not completely safe [even in another country],” he stressed

(c)UNIAN 2024