The military prosecutor’s office will check the complaints of those mobilized from Yaroslavl against the commander

The military prosecutor’s office of the Yaroslavl region began an investigation after a complaint from the mobilized military sent to the regional government. This order was given by the Governor of the Yaroslavl Region Mikhail Evraev, transmits Yaroslavl newspaper “Pro City”.

The day before, January 18, edition published a video message from the military to the government asking them to look into the situation. According to the soldiers, the commander ordered them to retreat, and then retracted his words, and now the soldiers face charges of desertion.

“We were given an order by the company commander to retreat from our positions, as we were fired upon by tanks and mortars. In turn, the command did not cover us and did not give us any support. We had only machine guns, and all other weapons were damaged. Now they want to accuse us of desertion, because the company commander says that he did not give the order. <...> We ask you to sort this out and ask for your help!” one of the men said.

September 24, 2022 Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law amending the Criminal Code, according to which Russia introduces punishment for voluntary surrender, desertion during the period of mobilization and refusal to participate in hostilities. Thus, refusal to participate in military or hostilities is punishable by imprisonment for a term of two to three years. If such acts entailed grave consequences, they will be punished by imprisonment for a term of three to 10 years.

The day before, January 18, UK aroused a criminal case against eight servicemen from the Kaliningrad region who, at the end of 2022, with standard weapons, including four machine guns, left the camp in the LPR and reached Podolsk near Moscow by taxi and hitchhike. A criminal case was initiated on the fact of desertion with a weapon during an armed conflict (part 3 of article 338 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). The maximum penalty under this article is imprisonment for up to 15 years. The alleged organizer of the escape, junior sergeant Kravchenko, was arrested, the rest of the servicemen were transferred under the supervision of the commander in the military town of Chekhov-4.