Support The Moscow Times!

Russia Prosecuted 5.5K Cases of Military Desertion in 2023 – Mediazona

Russian Defense Ministry

A record-setting 5,593 Russian soldiers faced trials in 2023 for desertions and other offenses related to refusal to serve, the independent news website Mediazona reported Friday.

Russia passed laws in the fall of 2022 tightening punishments for acts committed during mobilization, including voluntary surrender, conscientious objection and desertion.

Mediazona said Russian courts received 5,024 cases relating to soldiers abandoning their units between the start of 2023 and Friday, Dec. 29. That compares with 1,001 cases received by the courts in 2022 and 615 in 2021, the news site said.

Another 148 cases were lodged for the more serious crime of desertion, six times higher than in 2022.

Authorities registered 421 cases under the more lenient criminal offense of disobeying orders.

By late 2023, the courts were issuing 500 convictions a month, or more than 100 a week, Mediazona said.

According to Mediazona, 5,006 cases registered after Russia’s September 2022 “partial” mobilization concerned the evasion of services.

Mediazona said its analysis of the court verdicts showed the “vast majority” of the soldiers received suspended sentences so they could be sent back to the battlefield.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more