Russian Teen Who Fled to Kazakhstan to Escape War Faces Deportation

A 16-year-old Russian schoolboy who fled to Kazakhstan on foot and by hitchhiking to escape war and state propaganda has been denied asylum and is now facing deportation. The teenager, who openly opposed Kremlin policies, is being prepared for his return to Russia, according to a report by the regional outlet Uralskaya Nedelya.

The boy, Timur Turkov, is currently living in Oral (Uralsk) at a center for children in difficult life situations. A court has ordered his deportation to Russia and banned him from entering Kazakhstan for five years. Upon return, he faces an additional punishment at home — six months of restricted freedom.

Timur is from the village of Letki in Russia’s Murmansk region. He lives with his grandparents, who are his legal guardians. His mother has died, and his father left the family.

After completing ninth grade over the summer, Timur fled Russia in the fall.

I wanted to apply for refugee status because I disagree with the political course of the Russian Federation and fear being sent to war when I turn 18,
 the teenager said.

He crossed the border on the night of September 12.

Describing that night, Timur said:

After walking about 200 meters from the control line, I sat down on the ground. Nausea set in. It was around six in the morning… I passed out instantly from extreme fatigue and dehydration. I’d walked about 17 kilometers that night.

In the border village of Astafievo, Timur asked locals to contact the emergency services.

A local man started saying I’d be sent to prison. He also said I’d been recruited by Ukrainians,
 Timur recalled.

Border guards took him to the Makhambet outpost, where they searched his belongings, questioned him, and fed him scrambled eggs, tea, and bread.

Later, a Russian consulate representative and a psychologist arrived, followed by questioning by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB).

They started asking me to admit that I’d accidentally gotten lost and crossed the border. I refused to lie. The psychologist was especially persistent. They asked whether anyone had helped me. For some reason, they also asked if I liked strawberry dumplings and what kind of milk I drank.

Afterward, Timur was transported to Oral and placed in a detention facility. A psychologist declared him mentally sound, and he was assigned a state-appointed lawyer.

Timur says he did not flee for adventure, but to escape militarization and constant pressure linked to the war. In his village, schoolchildren formed honor guards at soldiers’ funerals.

Twelve local residents were killed, and five went missing. The war, he said, was omnipresent — on television, in schools, and in everyday conversations. While most people around him supported Kremlin policies, Timur did not.

He kept silent, but his fear grew.

In Kazakhstan, Timur says he experienced human warmth for the first time — but also the indifference of a state that ultimately chose not to hear his story.

Original Author: Zarina Fayzulina