"Oleg, a 24-year-old from Ufa, thought he was signing up to work as a security guard at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, but ended up enlisting as a drone pilot."
"The Kremlin does not release data on the number of soldiers who have deserted or gone absent without official leave, but reports suggest that around 50,000 have deserted since 2022."
"Independent sources claim that almost 21,000 Russian servicemen were convicted for refusing to serve, with many deserters being returned to their units without prosecution."
"Oleg and others have sought help from a group named Idite Lesom, which assists deserters in escaping military service."
The Russian military is facing a crisis of desertion as soldiers are sent to the frontlines in Ukraine. Many, like Oleg, a 24-year-old from Ufa, were misled into signing contracts for roles they did not fully understand. Oleg believed he was securing a job at a nuclear power plant but ended up enlisting as a drone pilot. Reports indicate that around 50,000 Russian soldiers have deserted since 2022, with some receiving assistance from groups like Idite Lesom to escape military service.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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