Russian soldiers are deserting from the army. They do not believe in the fidelity of their wives
The Russian army is struggling with a growing problem: desertion. Journalists from Kaukaz Realii, a project from the North Caucasus that is critical of the Kremlin and Vladimir Putin, investigated the causes of this phenomenon. For this purpose, they analyzed court judgments issued in the southern military district of Russia.
Surprisingly, the above-mentioned analysis shows that opposition to the war that Russia has unleashed in Ukraine plays almost no significant role here. It is usually personal reasons that lead soldiers to desert. Jealousy is a common theme: men leave the front to pursue their wives for perceived infidelity. Family responsibilities, such as caring for children or sick relatives, are also reasons why Russian soldiers decide to escape from the front.
Chaos and mistreatment
Another reason is the lack of medical and psychological care. Many deserters report being refused help after being wounded or suffering psychological distress. Soldiers say post-traumatic stress and chronic illnesses often go untreated.
Conditions in the army also encourage soldiers to flee: chaos, pressure from superiors, lack of pay and poor treatment. Some also flee for fear of being sent on dangerous missions without proper equipment.
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Blocking units and the cruel “punishment carousel”
The Russian command is trying to limit this problem. Controls at checkpoints were strengthened and cooperation between the police and the army was intensified. Deserters face long sentences [nawet do 15 lat] deprivation of liberty. In practice, however, escapees are often simply sent back to the front.
Particularly strict are the so-called locking units. These troops are intended to prevent retreat or escape behind their own lines.
Deserters also run the risk of, among other things, being subjected to a “punishment carousel.” As CNN journalists reported in their report from July this year, there are videos circulating online showing brutal methods of punishing fugitives. As part of the so-called On the penalty carousel, they are tied to a car with a rope and then dragged around the fields in circles for several minutes.
Grigory Swerdlin, who, together with his organization Get Lost [ang. dosłownie “spadaj”] helps Russian soldiers desert, sums it up in an interview with CNN: “Violence is what keeps the Russian army alive and holds it together.”
