Russian deserter reveals horrors of war and escape to europe

— We really are d*** orcs — admits 31-year-old Anton in an interview with journalists. He is one of the recently revealed Russian deserters seeking asylum in Europe after escaping from the front lines of the war in Ukraine with the help of an organization called "Iditie Lesom.

Contract soldiers recruited into the Russian army for the war in Ukraine are now receiving a monthly salary of 360,000-400,000 rubles (approximately $3,800), which is five times higher than the rates at the end of 2022. Life expectancy for those conscripted into the Russian "Storm Z" units is alarmingly short. In two months of repeated attacks, out of 600 people in Anton's unit, only 40 survived.

The organization's name, "Idite Lasom," is a secret password that can help Russian soldiers escape the front lines. More and more soldiers are interested in this solution.

— During my time there, my entire approach to life changed. I no longer have any positive feelings towards Russian statehood. This is not war but some agony. The only similarities are to the First World War. They just send you to the slaughter, — said former Russian soldier Anton. His account was published by Verstka magazine (an anti-Putin medium — ed.).

Anton confessed that he had deserted and, with the help of a provided passport, escaped through Belarus and Armenia, reaching Western Europe. He used the instructions and assistance from the "Iditie Lesom" organization.

The deserter claims that in April, he was still involved in defending the Russian Belgorod region against raids by the Legion Free Russia unit, which fights on the Ukrainian side. By then, his unit was already a collection of stragglers. This was the result of the bloody Russian offensive near the Ukrainian town of Kupiansk.

— The losses were just insane; I lost count. In a three-kilometer area, which was eventually returned to the Ukrainians, 5-6 companies perished — he recounts. He talks about the atrocities, the drunkenness of commanders, and the senseless sending of hundreds of people to their deaths— We really are d*** orcs, — he concludes.

He plans to remain in Europe and seek political asylum. He assures journalists that he has the right to seek protection as "a person who refused to participate in the war crimes" of the Russian army.

The "Idźcie lasem" organization has been operating since the fall of 2022, providing advice through anonymous accounts on the social media platform Telegram. According to "Iditie Lesom," just in June of this year, they provided consultations to 97 Russian soldiers planning to desert from Putin's army. In 12 cases, the organization helped them escape. Nine people received assistance in crossing the border illegally. Another 129 fled Russia using a route designed for legal border crossing.

A total of 2,086 soldiers expressed their desire to leave their posts. The "Iditie Lesom" organization managed to evacuate one Russian with access to classified materials from the country.

The soldier mentioned at the beginning of this text, Anton, said that during a break from the fighting on the front, he watched a journalistic report about "Iditie Lesom" on his phone. He confided that after the first bloody assaults, everyone in his unit was thinking about how to escape, but they were being closely watched.

— The Russians show a tendency to desert, especially now when the losses from their offensive are enormous. It's important to understand that these people are afraid of everything and everyone, as they are brutally kept in check, — comments Gen. Waldemar Skrzypczak, former commander of Poland's Land Forces and commentator on the war in Ukraine.

— The West does not appreciate and treat the operations aimed at helping deserters as a niche topic. If efforts were more active in this direction, it could significantly strike at Putin's army, — believes the Polish military officer.