In an increasingly desperate bid for a new chance at life, Russian soldiers who have deserted the army find themselves living in hiding, facing criminal cases back home and a lack of support from Western nations. The Associated Press (AP) recently spoke with six soldiers, including Yevgeny, who opened up about their experiences.

Yevgeny, a decorated hero of Russia's war in Ukraine, made the difficult decision to desert the army. Opting for a bullet to the leg rather than facing certain death, he now lives in hiding, along with all but one of the soldiers interviewed by AP. Each of them has criminal cases against them in Russia, carrying the possibility of 10 years or more in prison.

These soldiers represent a particular concern for Western nations, who grapple with the question of whether they are spies, war criminals, or heroes seeking a better future. While the overall asylum claims from Russian citizens have surged since the full-scale invasion, few are granted protection. Policymakers remain divided on how to view Russians seeking exile, as potential assets or risks to national security.

Andrius Kubilius, a former prime minister of Lithuania, argues that supporting Russians who oppose Vladimir Putin is strategically beneficial for Western countries. He suggests that fewer Russian soldiers at the front would weaken the Russian army. Kubilius emphasizes the importance of not generalizing guilt to all Russians and urges reconsideration of policies towards these deserters.

The soldiers interviewed by AP requested anonymity, fearing deportation and persecution for themselves and their families. While verifying every detail proved challenging, the AP reviewed legal documents, military identification papers, and public records to authenticate their stories. Mediazona, an independent Russian media outlet, has documented over 7,300 cases in Russian courts against AWOL soldiers since September 2022, with cases of desertion increasing sixfold in the past year.

The number of soldiers seeking to desert has been on a rise, with more than 500 individuals contacting the group "Idite Lesom" (Get Lost) in the Republic of Georgia in the first two months of this year. This figure represents a significant increase compared to previous years and highlights a decline in morale among Russian soldiers. Dissenting voices within Russia are often overshadowed by official propaganda, which portrays undying support for Putin and the ongoing conflict.

While some countries, such as Germany and France, have acknowledged the possibility of offering protection to Russians fleeing military service, the practicalities of seeking asylum remain challenging. Many deserters possess passports that restrict travel to only a handful of former Soviet states. Lawyers, activists, and deserters themselves attest to the difficulties they face in obtaining asylum.

Statistics provided by various sources reveal a mixed response from Western countries. In fiscal year 2022, fewer than 300 Russians were granted refugee status in the United States, although Customs and Border Patrol officials encountered over 57,000 Russians at U.S. borders in fiscal year 2023. France witnessed a more than 50% increase in asylum requests from Russians between 2022 and 2023, totaling around 3,400 people. Germany received 7,663 first-time asylum applications from Russian citizens in the same period, a significant rise from the previous year, but the data does not specify how many were soldiers.

As Yevgeny and his fellow deserters in Kazakhstan face the impending end of their legal right to stay in the country, they anxiously observe the fate of other deserters who have been seized by Russian forces in various locations, deported, and tragically found dead, riddled with bullets, in places like Spain. Yevgeny pleads with Western policymakers to reconsider their stance, highlighting the benefits of allowing these young men, capable of contributing to the workforce, into their respective countries rather than supplying Ukraine with weapons.

As the soldiers' uncertain future hangs in the balance, Yevgeny sorts through a box of belongings that he managed to save. Amidst the real and fake passports, a letter with hearts on it, and blister packs of pills, he searches for his military medals, only to shove everything back in the box, expressing his indifference towards them.

The stories of these soldiers shed light on the complex realities that individuals face when navigating the asylum process and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The fate of those who have deserted the Russian army remains uncertain, leaving them in a state of limbo as they desperately seek safety and a new chance at life.