Russian deserter flees Ukraine war, fears deportation from Croatia

Nikita Zvezdov, an 18-year-old Russian, fears being returned to Russia and potentially facing death after fleeing military service in Ukraine. He sought asylum in Croatia after escaping to Armenia and then Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Zvezdov was called up for military service in April 2024, shortly after turning 18. He believes he was deliberately failed in vocational school exams to prevent him from avoiding mobilization. Upon arriving at a military unit near Ussuriysk, described as "the most infamous" and "most criminal" in Russia, he witnessed and experienced harsh treatment.

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I promised myself and my family that I would not sign a contract. I never wanted to participate in the war against Ukraine.

He recounts officers pressuring recruits to sign military contracts, threats of prosecution, and brutal training exercises. Zvezdov claims he was forced to sign a contract after attempting suicide and being prevented from doing so by officers. He was told he would be deployed to assault units near Melitopol in occupied Ukraine, known for high casualties.

"I had no choice but to flee," Zvezdov told DW. He used his first salary to obtain leave, supposedly to prepare for deployment, but instead escaped to Armenia with the help of a lenient guard. A desertion warrant was issued six months later, but by then he had moved on to Bosnia and Herzegovina and then Croatia, where he is now awaiting a decision on his asylum claim.

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I had no choice but to flee.