The search is being conducted by local police under directives from Moscow, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces stated in a communiqué.
Since the onset of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, there have been multiple reports suggesting growing unrest and desertions within the Russian military ranks.
Highlighting the scale of the issue, the Ukrainian initiative titled "I Want to Live," operating under the guidance of the military intelligence service, shared in September that they received over 25,000 applications from Russian citizens wishing to voluntarily surrender to Ukrainian authorities. The reasons behind these desertions and the consequences for the soldiers, if caught, remain to be seen.
(jh)
Source: IAR, RMF24