Mobilized man convicted in Novorossiysk for evading army service

The Novorossiysk Garrison Military Court has sentenced Alexander Zhuravel, a mobilized man, to five years and two months in colony for leaving his military unit without permission. The judge found the defendant's arguments about his mother's illness unconvincing.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 7, 2023, a court in Dagestan sentenced Sergey Yunusov, a native of Gudermes, to two years in colony, finding him guilty under the article on unauthorized abandonment of a unit or place of service during the mobilization period.

The above Military Court has found Alexander Zhuravel guilty of leaving his unit without permission for four months, the "Kavkaz.Realii"* project has reported. According to the verdict, on February 13, 2023, he failed to appear at his military unit, but instead "went to his family's residence," where he was detained on June 16.

In court, Zhuravel admitted his guilt and said "that he repented of what he did." "He had no goal of evading military service at all; he wanted to take a temporary rest. He had no valid reasons or difficult circumstances, but the defendant indicated that in November 2022 his mother, who lives in a neighbouring village, fell ill and needed help," the defendant's position is quoted.

The court refused to accept the defendant's arguments as grounds for releasing him from criminal liability. "The defendant has other relatives (mother's sister and the defendant's wife); and Zhuravel himself did not apply to his unit command with a request on granting a leave," the judge has stated.

*Included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents.