Farewell to Arms?

Since the start of Russia's War on Ukraine, Russian garrison courts have handled at least 11,700 cases under the charge of "unauthorized abandonment of units." And the numbers have surged, peaking in July 2024 at nearly 1,000 cases per month — an average of 40 new AWOL cases per working day.

The Orenburg and Volgograd garrison courts lead the nation in number of cases processed, each handling over 400 AWOL cases since the war began. However, official data on deserters and unauthorized absences in the Russian army is scarce, and court records only scratch the surface.

Not all "refuseniks" face trial, obscuring the true scale of desertion. For instance, a single division based in Volgograd, the 20th Motorized Rifle Division reported 1,010 soldiers going AWOL. Independent journalists from Vazhnye Istory uncovered this figure in a letter from the division's command to regional authorities in the spring of 2024 that requested assistance in locating soldiers who had fled the front. Those who abandoned their posts included contract soldiers, mobilized troops, and even conscripts.

An analysis of court sentences from the 20th Division reveals the motivations behind the desertions. Soldiers often cite personal reasons — caring for sick relatives, helping with household tasks, or other family obligations — claiming they intended to return to their units. Whether genuine or strategic, such excuses complicate prosecution efforts, making it harder to elevate charges from unauthorized absence to the graver crime of desertion.

Most deserters don’t try to hide for long; many return to their registered addresses to live with their families. In some instances, entire groups have fled simultaneously. For example, after the New Year holidays in 2023, five soldiers deserted from Volgograd's Prudboy Training Ground. Three voluntarily returned, and the police apprehended the other two. Sentences ranged from three to five years, with one soldier receiving a suspended sentence.

Notably, military personnel convicted of crimes, including desertion, are more likely to receive suspended sentences compared to civilians. In the first half of 2024, 40 percent of convicted military personnel received suspended sentences, compared to just 22 percent of civilians. Suspended sentences often send soldiers back to the front faster, maintaining the cycle of deployment.

Desertion often occurs during recovery periods in hospitals, where escape is easier due to lax security. “The level of oversight in military hospitals is similar to that of regular clinics,” says Artyom Klyga of the Dvizhenie Soznatelnykh Otkazchikov (Movement of Conscientious Objectors). Activists from Idite Lesom (Go to the Forest), an organization assisting deserters, confirm that hospitals are a common starting point for desertion. The group reported a surge in requests for help during intense combat periods, with nearly 2,500 people seeking assistance in 2024 alone.

Deserters primarily escape to neighboring countries not involved with the war, like Kazakhstan and Armenia, using internal passports. Many are motivated by a desire to avoid killing or being killed. However, even in exile, they face uncertain futures. Some, overwhelmed by despair, surrender to Russian authorities despite knowing the consequences.

Others are determined to leave permanently. One soldier, Mikhail, fled after being wounded and spent a year and a half in hiding before contacting Idite Lesom for assistance. Now awaiting asylum in Europe, Mikhail recalled how earlier attempts to break his contract were thwarted by threats and violence. Soldiers who refused to fight are often beaten by commanders, and, in some cases, face worse fates, including imprisonment in unofficial detention centers.

In July 2022, five Russian officers disappeared after refusing to fight. Initially detained in an unofficial prison in Luhansk, they were beaten and threatened with execution before being taken to an undisclosed location. They were never seen again.

Reports also emerged of a makeshift "concentration camp" in the occupied Donetsk region. In the abandoned Petrovskaya mine, Russian soldiers — some severely wounded — were tortured and coerced into returning to the front. For some, this marked the end of communication with their families. The body of one soldier was eventually returned to his family in a "terrible state."