Russian officer Farkhad Ziganshin had ready himself for a lifetime of navy service since a younger age. He might by no means have imagined that sooner or later he would grow to be a deserter and flee the nation.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine modified every part.
“I do not help what’s occurring in Ukraine, I do not help the federal government we have had for therefore a few years,” Ziganshin, 24, informed AFP in Kazakhstan, the place he fled in September 2022 after Vladimir Putin ordered Russia’s first navy mobilisation since World Warfare II.
Confronted with a selection between collaborating in a battle of aggression or going to jail for refusing to combat in Ukraine, a whole lot of deserters and draft dodgers have fled to neighbouring ex-Soviet international locations the place they’re now caught in limbo.
Russian authorities have opened a legal case in opposition to Ziganshin for abandoning his unit. He doesn’t really feel protected in Kazakhstan and fears he could be deported to Russia.
However it’s arduous for males like him to hunt refuge within the West as a result of many Russian servicemen would not have the Russian passport that permits journey to Europe and solely have paperwork that allow them to achieve neighbours comparable to Kazakhstan or Armenia.
Anti-war activists urge European and US policymakers to do extra to assist males like Ziganshin, who’re hunted at house and considered with suspicion within the West.
Whereas in Kazakhstan, Ziganshin was briefly arrested twice, most not too long ago in June.
He isn’t giving up, nonetheless. He brazenly speaks of his opposition to Putin and the battle in Ukraine with international journalists.
Along with different opponents of the battle he has recorded movies to encourage Russians to flee the battlefield as a part of an initiative dubbed “Farewell to arms”.
In a single such video, a serviceman units fireplace to a uniform bearing the letter “Z”, a logo of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, earlier than heading for the closest forest.
“Nobody attacked your homeland,” says a message on the finish of the clip. “We’ve got already refused to participate in a legal battle. It’s best to too.”
– ‘Dwell with dignity’ –
Ziganshin went to a navy boarding faculty on the age of 10 and graduated from a navy academy that prepares Russian tank commanders.
He describes the Russian armed forces as a “nice faculty of life”. However when Russia invaded Ukraine, he realised this was not the military he wished to dedicate his life to.
He managed to resign, solely to be taught the following day {that a} navy mobilisation had been declared and that he can be deployed to Ukraine, together with round 300,000 different males.
Ziganshin packed up in a rush and fled to neighbouring Kazakhstan. Afraid of being despatched again to Moscow, the place he will probably be criminally prosecuted, he has been making an attempt to accumulate a visa to journey to France.
Kazakh rights campaigner Artur Alkhastov mentioned Russian deserters stand nearly no likelihood of receiving refugee standing within the Central Asian nation.
“We have actually robust diplomatic ties with Russia,” mentioned Alkhastov.
Campaigners have additionally accused native authorities of facilitating the arrests of Russians who’ve sought refuge in Kazakhstan.
Mikhail Zhilin of the Russian Federal Guard Service fled to Kazakhstan to keep away from the draft, illegally crossing the border. He was despatched again to Russia and final 12 months sentenced to 6 and a half years in jail.
Russian contract soldier Kamil Kasimov, who additionally fled to Kazakhstan, this spring was detained and brought to a Russian navy base within the city of Priozyorsk in central Kazakhstan, in line with activists.
Ziganshin shudders on the considered being despatched again to Russia the place he faces a protracted jail time period. His Kazakh residence allow has expired.
“I am younger, I wish to do one thing with my life, I wish to reside with dignity,” he mentioned.
Different Russian military deserters have fled to Armenia within the South Caucasus. However like Kazakhstan, activists say the nation internet hosting a Russian navy base can also be not a protected vacation spot. Two Russian deserters have been detained by Russian navy personnel in Armenia over the previous two years.
European international locations stay out of bounds, mentioned Ivan Chuviliaev, spokesman for anti-war Russian undertaking Idite Lesom (“Get misplaced”), which has been serving to Russians to abandon and go away the nation.
“They haven’t any paperwork to place a visa in,” he mentioned.
– ‘Absurd dying’ –
Andrei Yuseinov, who served within the thirty ninth motorised rifle brigade in Sakhalin in Russia’s Far East, was fortunate sufficient to flee to Georgia.
He mentioned he had “cast his story” and handed himself off as a civilian in his house city of Orenburg to be able to receive a passport, which enabled him to journey to Georgia together with his spouse and baby.
The 24-year-old mentioned he refused to die “an absurd dying” in Ukraine.
“I used to see moms crying in entrance of officers who did not reply them although they knew their youngsters have been lifeless,” Yuseinov mentioned.
Campaigners and Western governments have been involved about Georgia’s latest pro-Russian drift and Yuseinov believes he isn’t protected there.
He hoped to journey to France however in Could, the French embassy in Tbilisi refused to concern him a visa.
– ‘Resistance fighters’ –
Since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, many Russians have sought to seek out refuge in France, which has a protracted custom of welcoming political exiles.
Final 12 months, the nation’s Nationwide Court docket of Asylum (CNDA) threw a lifeline to navy deserters and draft dodgers too, ruling that “Russians fleeing mobilisation for the battle in Ukraine and people mobilised who’ve abandoned can receive refugee standing”.
In line with the CNDA, 102 Russians fleeing mobilisation have already been granted refugee standing in France. There aren’t any military deserters amongst them.
Acquiring refugee standing and even receiving a visa to journey to EU international locations is troublesome for a lot of Russians, and activists are urging European governments to do extra to assist.
“They’re actual resistance fighters, they aren’t solely troopers who refused to threat their lives,” mentioned Olga Prokopieva, head of Russie-Libertes, a Paris-based affiliation.
“We wish France to grow to be extra concerned, specifically with deserters who’ve discovered themselves caught in Armenia and Kazakhstan.”
Artem Klyga, a lawyer working with the Motion of Conscientious Objectors, has been lobbying the French and German governments to assist Russians fleeing the battlefield.
He mentioned each international locations understood the size of the issue however have been additionally cautious of welcoming servicemen who might need dedicated battle crimes.
“I normally hear that each one these Russians are battle criminals, so that you must block them in Russia,” he mentioned.
The German international ministry mentioned anti-war Russians who’re “significantly liable to persecution” will be welcomed on humanitarian grounds.
– ‘Harassed’ –
Vladimir (not his actual title) is likely one of the battle refuseniks who managed to acquire asylum in France.
The 30-year-old reservist mentioned he was “harassed” within the early months of the battle, with Russian navy personnel coming first to his house, then to his workplace and to his mom’s house in an effort to enlist him.
“The concern grew,” mentioned Vladimir.
In Could 2022, he left for France to keep away from being drafted. Quickly after, his mom obtained his navy summons. The CNDA granted him refugee standing in April after two years of proceedings.
Dmitry (not his actual title), a dance trainer in his 30s, mentioned he didn’t wish to “take up arms to kill different folks”.
He fled Russia in September 2022, a couple of days after receiving a navy draft discover. He was granted asylum in April.
Oleg (not his actual title), a fight sports activities teacher in his 40s, mentioned he has “at all times been in opposition to Putin”.
He mentioned his spouse took half in protests organised by allies of Alexei Navalny, the opposition chief who all of a sudden died in an Arctic jail in February. Oleg took half in a fund-raising marketing campaign for a Ukrainian pal whose house was destroyed on account of the Russian invasion, he mentioned.
– ‘Saved my household’ –
After Oleg obtained his summons, he, his spouse and their two youngsters left for Georgia in September 2022.
He obtained refugee standing in France in April.
“If we hadn’t left, I might both be in jail or on the battlefield,” mentioned Oleg.
Alexander, 34, his spouse Daria, 37, and their two youngsters are nonetheless ready for the French authorities to resolve their destiny.
The household fled Saint Petersburg in March 2023, after Alexander, who’s an engineer, obtained his draft discover.
Their automotive and the entrance door of their flat have been vandalised as a result of Daria’s anti-war activism.
The household, who’re residing in a city in northern France, have left behind a cushty life.
Alexander mentioned he had no regrets. “I saved my household and didn’t grow to be a assassin,” he mentioned.
– ‘Assist deserters’ –
Activists say that if Western international locations wish to higher help Ukraine they need to provide asylum to Russian deserters.
“If we would like the Russian military to be weaker, now we have to help deserters,” mentioned Chuviliaev.
Impartial Russian-language media outlet Mediazona has recorded round 8,600 AWOL circumstances for the reason that begin of the mobilisation in September 2022. By comparability, simply over 600 such circumstances have been introduced earlier than the courts in 2021. Costs of desertion have additionally soared, with greater than 300 circumstances introduced earlier than courts for the reason that begin of the draft, in line with Mediazona. That compares to 33 such circumstances in 2021.
Russian deserters ought to be welcomed within the West, not stigmatised for having served within the Russian military, mentioned a spokeswoman for InTransit, an organisation that helps males flee the battle.
“In case you’re simply an activist and also you went to some demonstrations, you’ll be able to obtain a humanitarian visa. However when you have been within the military and shot your self within the leg and ran away,” she mentioned, “then you aren’t getting any visa.”
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