Russia opens 10,000 criminal cases for refusing to serve in the army

Since the announcement of mobilization in Russia in September 2022, military courts have received 10,025 criminal cases of conscientious objection, according to Russian media report.

Source: Mediazone.

Details: According to the publication, 9,059 cases of unauthorized leaving the unit, 627 cases of failure to comply with orders, and 339 cases of desertion were opened. The accused in these cases are 10,085 people, 8,594 of whom have already been sentenced.

Prior to the announcement of mobilization in the fall of 2022, Russian soldiers were practically not prosecuted for refusing to serve.

In May 2024 alone, 929 criminal cases were filed with the courts. Of these, 844 were for unauthorized leaving of the unit, 43 for failure to obey orders, and 42 for desertion. As of the end of April, the courts were delivering 34-35 verdicts per day in such cases. Most often, judges hand down suspended sentences in such cases, which allows the command to return soldiers to the front.

Author - Olena Madiak, 18/06/2024