In Pskov this week, criminal cases were initiated against two servicemen who left their military units, bringing the total number of cases to over a hundred. According to 'Pskovskaya Guberniya', the hundredth defendant was Dmitry Leontyev, who is charged with leaving the unit for a period of 2 to 10 days and from 10 days to a month, facing up to 7 years in prison.
Another defendant is Stanislav Skobelev, who is also charged with two episodes: leaving the unit for a period of 10 days to a month and over a month. He faces up to 10 years in prison, as he was also accused of two thefts.
According to 'Mediazona'*, since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, 606 natives of the Pskov region have died.
Since the beginning of the year, more cases of leaving service have been submitted to Russian military courts than in the entire year of 2023, calculated 'Mediazona' based on data from court websites. In seven months, 5,204 cases of 'unauthorized absence' have already been submitted, whereas in the entire year of 2023, 5,096 such cases were submitted to the courts. At the same time, as the publication notes, information is available in court files only about those cases that reached the court, the actual number of initiated cases may be significantly higher.
The rate of new cases in 2024 has increased, by the end of July last year there were half as many — 2,396. In May, there were 966 cases, including 879 cases of unauthorized absence, 45 of non-compliance with orders, and 42 cases of desertion. According to available data, 940 cases have already been submitted in July, but some records may be published on court websites with a delay. Approximately 800 verdicts are issued per month, that is, about 40 decisions per day.
Mainly, servicemen are prosecuted under articles for 'unauthorized absence from service' and 'desertion'. There are much fewer cases under the article for 'non-compliance with orders', which accuses those who refused to go to the combat zone. At the same time, courts under this article impose a milder punishment.
* Recognized in Russia as a 'foreign agent'.