Six Russian soldiers who fled from the war in Ukraine have been granted temporary visas in France as they apply for political asylum, marking a significant case of deserters being accepted by an EU country. Human rights activists see this as a pivotal moment for deserters seeking refuge in the West.
The soldiers arrived in Paris on separate flights over the past few months after initially escaping from Russia to Kazakhstan in 2022 and 2023, as reported by an organization that helps soldiers flee. One of the soldiers, Alexander, who deserted in the summer of 2023, described his relief upon landing in France. “It was the first time I could breathe fully,” he shared.
Since the onset of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, tens of thousands of Russian soldiers have deserted or refused to fight. However, the West has struggled with the decision of whether to accept these deserters, debating whether they should be seen as heroes, potential security risks, or war criminals.
The EU and its member states have openly discussed offering asylum to Russian deserters, but no official decision had been reached before this case. Ivan Chuviliaev, spokesperson for "Go By The Forest," an organization aiding Russian soldiers in fleeing, stated, "This is the first time an EU country has accepted a group of deserters without travel documents or foreign passports."
Many deserters fled to nearby countries like Armenia and Kazakhstan, where they could enter without a passport but found themselves trapped. Russia has aggressively pursued deserters, with reports of kidnappings or deportations back to Russia from neighboring post-Soviet countries. This situation has led to increasing calls from anti-war activists to offer these soldiers safe refuge in Western nations.
In Kazakhstan, Alexander lived in fear of being tracked by Russian authorities, avoiding SIM cards and bank accounts. From there, he began running a YouTube channel urging other soldiers to desert. Chuviliaev believes that France’s decision to grant temporary visas could serve as an example for other Western countries to follow.
France’s acceptance of these soldiers followed months of collaboration with human rights organizations. Chuviliaev emphasized that each deserter was thoroughly vetted to ensure they held a firm anti-war stance before being allowed into the country.
Among those who received visas were soldiers who had fought in Ukraine, as well as conscripts and officers who avoided deployment. Chuviliaev expressed hope that this decision would encourage more Russian soldiers to desert, offering them a safer future in the West rather than imprisonment or precarious conditions in countries bordering Russia.
Russia has increased its crackdown on desertion, imposing harsh penalties, including up to 15 years in prison and the confiscation of property for those who flee. Reports have also surfaced of soldiers being held against their will in so-called “holes and pits” for refusing to fight.
Independent news outlet Mediazone reported that over 7,400 cases have been brought against Russian soldiers for desertion in the past two years, though the real numbers may be higher due to the Kremlin's efforts to suppress information.
Deserters living abroad face the threat of being pursued by Russian authorities. In December 2022, Kazakhstan deported Mikhail Zhilin, a Russian intelligence officer who had fled. In February, Maksim Kuzminov, a Russian pilot who defected to Ukraine, was killed in Spain, an act widely attributed to Russian intelligence.
Alexander expressed hope to help more soldiers escape, saying, “I know what those guys are going through. We can’t let them down.”
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