More than 49 thousand Russian soldiers deserted from the front - analysis results

The number of servicemen who have deserted the Russian army since the start of the war in Ukraine has reached at least 49,000. The analytical publication "Important Stories" reported this on May 20, citing its analysis.

The data is based on two sources: a list of those who left the Southern Military District without permission in 2022-2024 and a database of persons who were prosecuted in Russia for desertion and desertion, published by the "Khochu Zhit" Ukrainian GUR project. The journalists compared these two lists and formed a single database of 49,001 people.

According to the analysis, the main reasons for desertion are abandoning front-line positions, refusing to return to the unit after completing the assignment, or refusing to continue service on medical grounds.

It is noted that 6 out of every 10 soldiers on the list of deserters from the "20th Motorized Rifle Division" were also registered at the Southern District base. Court documents show that in most cases they were prosecuted for desertion.

This figure also corresponds to the initial estimates of the Frontelligence Insight analytical center - by the end of 2024, it identified 50,554 deserters.

The Zamin.uz editorial team continues to cover the latest information on military conflicts, human rights and migration. How do you assess this situation? What could such a large-scale desertion in the army be a sign of?

News