Six Russian deserters have successfully applied for asylum in France, obtaining temporary visas. This group includes soldiers, conscripts, and officers who fought in the Ukraine conflict. Human rights activists have called this a significant milestone, marking the first instance of Russian deserters being allowed entry into EU countries.
According to a report from The Guardian, human rights advocates and the organization Go By The Forest reveal that since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, tens of thousands of Russian soldiers have fled or refused to follow combat orders. Many of these deserters sought refuge in Kazakhstan in 2022 and 2023, with some arriving in Paris in recent months.
Ivan Chuviliaev, a spokesperson for Go By The Forest, stated, “This is the first time an EU country has permitted a group of deserters without any travel documents or passports to enter.” He emphasized that France’s willingness to accept these deserters could set a precedent, sending a strong signal to other Western nations and potentially accelerating their processes for accommodating Russian soldiers seeking to leave the military.
However, the West has long grappled with whether to accept Russian deserters, considering whether to view them as heroes, potential security threats, or war criminals. While EU members have openly discussed providing asylum to Russian soldiers, no definitive decisions have been reached, and it remains challenging for deserters to secure refuge.
Most Russian soldiers typically opt for countries like Armenia and Kazakhstan, where they can enter without a passport, but face challenges of uncertainty about where to go next and the risk of being stranded.
Mediazone, a Russian website, reported that the Kremlin has initiated at least 7,400 legal actions against deserters over the past two years, accusing them of unauthorized abandonment of duty. Given the authorities’ systematic efforts to conceal information about the military, the actual number may be even higher.
Additionally, Russia is actively pursuing deserters hiding abroad, applying geopolitical pressure for their return.
In related news, Ukrainian media reports that U.S. lawmakers from both the Democratic and Republican parties are pressuring President Volodymyr Zelensky to lower the draft age, allowing mobilization of young men aged 18 to 25. However, Zelensky has “not yielded” to this pressure.
Serhii Leshchenko, an advisor in the Ukrainian presidential office, stated, “President Zelensky has stood firm, continuing to lobby politicians from both parties to provide weapons without changing the draft age.”
The Ukrainian Truth also noted that, according to Roman Kostenko, a member of the Voice party, the Ukrainian parliament is currently discussing the potential for lowering the conscription age to between 18 and 20 years.
On October 16, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that its forces had captured two more villages in eastern Ukraine and continued pushing toward the vital logistics hub of Pokrovsk, prompting the evacuation of thousands from the area.
