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Russia Sentences 8 Mobilized Soldiers to Prison for Deserting in Ukraine

The soldiers, who complained of a lack of equipment and provisions, fled their field camp before they were scheduled to go to the front line.

mobilizing society

Calls in State Duma to Increase Length of Russian Military Service

Servicemen should not enter the army for the various perks soldiers receive, but to earn "respect and honor," one deputy said.

new law in action

Russia Begins Issuing Digital Military Summons – Reports

The use of digital summons have fueled fears the Kremlin may be preparing to mobilize more men to aid its military efforts in Ukraine.

Verified Russian Military Deaths in Ukraine Now Exceed 20,000

The number of Russian troops independently confirmed to have died in Ukraine has reached 20,451, with 1,820 killed in the past two weeks alone.

Confusion and Indifference but No Panic as Russia Tightens Draft Rules

Experts linked the new law to the failure of the Russian Armed Forces to achieve major territorial gains in Ukraine this year.

expanding reach

Russia Moves to Digitize Military Summons, Prevent Conscripts from Fleeing Country

Those who refuse to show up for service would face restrictions including being blocked from leaving Russia.

deportation declined

Armenian Authorities Release Russian Man Accused of Desertion

The Armenian authorities have released a Russian citizen who was detained two days ago on Moscow’s request for alleged desertion.

North Ossetia Governor Orders Probe Into Beating of Military Recruit

A graphic video of the incident shows a man being kicked in the face by his fellow servicemen.

'routine questioning'

Russians Absent During Mobilization Called in for Questioning by FSB

Several Omsk region residents told iStories they had received phone calls asking them to attend the local FSB office.

opinion Farida Rustamova and Maxim Tovkaylo

Anything But More Mobilization: Russia’s Stealthy Push to Find More Soldiers

The Kremlin's aim appears to be to convince more Russians to join up as professional servicemen and be deployed to Ukraine.

Russian Recruits Jailed for 3 Years for Refusing to Fight in Ukraine

Yury Degtyarev and Alexei Selivanov were among the first recruits charged with refusing military service.

Former Presidential Guard Jailed for 6 Years for Deserting Russian Army

A military court in the Siberian city of Barnaul found former presidential guard Mikhail Zhilin guilty of desertion and illegal border crossing.

Fighting for Free

Report: Russian Soldiers in Ukraine Face Increasing Payment Delays

“Are we going to start fighting for free?” one soldier complained on social media.

renewed concern

Kremlin Denies Second Mobilization as Military Offices ‘Clarify’ Data of Draft-Eligible Men

"It's a common practice," the Kremlin said of the summons sent to military reservists to "clarify" their personal information.

military expansion

Russian Lawmakers Introduce Bill Raising Draft Age

Critics of the bill say it seeks to offset Russia’s mounting losses in Ukraine by increasing the number of men eligible for conscription in the short...

Conscripts Who Complained to Putin Wiped Out in Battle

Nearly all the unit's members are believed to have died fighting in Ukraine on March 1.

opinion Andrei Kolesnikov

Russia’s Second, Silent War Against its Human Capital

Russia's failing fight against population decline is due to more than prevailing demographic trends.

dangerous precedent

South Korea to Appeal Russian Men's Right to Apply for Asylum

The three men elected to camp inside the airport for months rather than return to Russia.

‘War Has a Cost’: The Journalists Tallying Russia’s Dead Soldiers

A group of volunteer journalists is painstakingly building a database of the Russian soldiers lost in Ukraine.

Database of Russians Eligible for Draft Set to Aid Military Recruitment

The Russian authorities have created a digital database of citizens who are eligible to be drafted into the military amid growing rumors of a second mobilization...

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