Kazakhstan Citizen Sentenced in Russia for Desertion After Fleeing Military Contract

cover Photo: Elements.envato.com, ill. purposes

A Kazakhstan citizen has been convicted in Russia for desertion and attempting to illegally cross the border after signing a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense, Orda.kz reports.

According to case materials from the Magnitogorsk Garrison Military Court, the man enlisted in a military unit in Russia’s Rostov region in September 2024. However, on October 1, he failed to return from leave. To evade authorities, he purchased a motorcycle and rode to the Varna district of the Chelyabinsk region.

On October 15, while trying to cross into Kazakhstan, he was detained by FSB officers in a border zone.

The court found him guilty under two articles of the Russian Criminal Code: desertion during mobilization and attempted illegal border crossing. He was sentenced to six years in a high-security prison and fined 100,000 rubles. The verdict has not yet entered into legal force.

Kazakhstan's law also prohibits its citizens from participating in armed conflicts abroad. Depending on the circumstances, penalties range from five years in prison for unauthorized participation to life imprisonment for mercenarism, along with property confiscation and loss of citizenship.

Original Author: Ruslan Loginov

Latest news

view all