Russia: More than 4,000 criminal cases for absent without leave (AWOL) after the beginning of mobilisation

by Mediazona

(24.11.2023) The Russian military courts have received 4,121 criminal cases for AWOL (Art. 337 of the Criminal Code) since the beginning of the mobilisation. "Mediazona" has analysed the websites of the military courts as of 21 November.

Judgements have already been handed down in 3,470 cases. As "Mediazona" writes, the military courts have handed down 100 judgements per week in such cases since June 2023. The peak was reached in August - 457 judgements in that month alone.

In addition to the 4,121 criminal proceedings for AWOL, 317 cases of insubordination (Art. 332 of the Criminal Code) were submitted to the courts in November. The penalty under this article is generally much less severe than for AWOL. Almost all cases of insubordination were tried in the Kaliningrad region, Rostov, Primorsky Krai and Kamchatka.

The more serious charge of desertion (Art. 338 of the Criminal Code) has been brought to court in 96 cases since the beginning of mobilisation.

Most cases of AWOL end with a suspended sentence, although the proportion of such decisions is 63% for professional soldiers and slightly lower for mobilised soldiers at 56%. A suspended sentence allows a conscript to return to the front.

Mediazona, 24.11.2023. https://zona.media/news/2023/11/24/4k

Keywords:    ⇒ AWOL   ⇒ Desertion   ⇒ Disobeying   ⇒ Prosecution   ⇒ Russia