Contract serviceman from Krasnodar Territory sent to penal colony for three years for escaping from service

The Krasnodar Garrison Military Court has sentenced Artyom Sluzhilov, a military serviceman, who was found guilty of leaving his unit without permission during the mobilization period, to three years in penal colony. His defence asked to replace the sentence for a conditional one, but the Southern District Military Court has upheld the verdict.

While serving under contract during mobilization period, Sluzhilov twice left his military unit without permission. The first time he left the unit "for the purpose of temporarily evading service and taking a break from official duties" for a period of two to ten days. Then, he voluntarily appeared at the military commandant's office of the Krasnodar garrison.

For the second time, Sluzhilov did not show up for duty without good reason "for more than ten days, but not more than one month," after which he was detained and returned back to his unit; this was informed by the court's website.

The defence has treated the sentence as "unfair due to its excessive severity." The advocate has pointed out that the court failed to take into account Sluzhilov's repentance; his two young children and a wife, as well as his desire to continue serving at the special military operation (SMO) zone in Ukraine.

Earlier, the "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Vladislav Korneev, a military from the Rostov Region was sentenced to 2.5 years in colony for his absence from service, including during the mobilization period.