Ten Ex-Convicts Under Defense Ministry Contract Escape Military Camp Near Rostov Not to Go to Ukraine

Ten former prisoners who had signed contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense escaped from a military training ground near Rostov in Southern Russia, where they were undergoing preparation and awaiting deployment to the zone of the special military operation (SMO).

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Russian military men

Their disappearance was discovered on the morning of May 9, when the escapees failed to appear at their unit for uniform issuance. It is specified that they were not carrying any weapons.

Four of the individuals were caught while trying to leave the Rostov region; the whereabouts of two others have been established. The location of the remaining four remains unknown.

It is clarified that all of the escapees had previously served sentences for crimes such as:

• robbery,
• murder,
• illegal drug distribution,
• rape,
• assault.

Sources suggest that the men escaped because they were unwilling to participate in combat actions. What punishment the escapees may face is currently unknown. The Ministry of Defense has not commented on the incident.

According to regulations, if a servicemember is absent from their unit for up to two days, they face disciplinary action – up to 30 days of arrest. Absence of two to ten days can result in up to five years in prison. Being absent for more than ten days carries a penalty of up to seven years of imprisonment. The maximum penalty is imposed for desertion during mobilization, martial law, or wartime.

Nearly 100 Servicemen Attempted Escape from Military Base in Krasnodar

In April, about 100 servicemen attempted to escape from a military unit in Krasnodar. They managed to break through a fence and reach the area of the military commandant's office. They were also unarmed.

It was reported that the area was cordoned off by the Russian National Guard (Rosgvardiya) and law enforcement vehicles.

As a result, seven men successfully escaped. Four were apprehended almost immediately, and three more were later located.

Also in April, a serviceman who had deserted his unit in Novosibirsk and found unofficial employment in the city was tried in court. One year after his escape, he was sentenced to five years in prison for desertion.