Russian soldiers use clandestine group to escape Ukrainian front

Contract soldiers recruited into the Russian army for the war in Ukraine already receive a monthly salary of 360,000-400,000 rubles (approximately CAD 5,500). This is five times higher than the rates at the end of 2022. The life expectancy of those conscripted into the Russian "Storm Z" units is short. In two months of repeated attacks, out of 600 people in Anton's unit, only 40 survived.

It's precisely the words that make up the name of the organization - "Idite lasom" - that serve as the secret password that can help Russian soldiers escape the front lines. And more and more people 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 kind of agony. Similarities only appear in the case of the First World War. They just send you to the slaughter - said former Russian soldier Anton. The account was published by the Verstka magazine (an anti-Putin medium - ed.).

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

The deserter claims that in April, he was still involved in defending the Russian Belgorod region from the raids of the Legion Free Russia unit fighting 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 an area of about three kilometres, 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 p*** 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 "Idite lasom" organization has been operating since the fall of 2022, providing advice through anonymous accounts on the social media platform Telegram. According to "Idite lasom," only in June this year they provided consultations to 97 Russian soldiers planning to desert Putin's army. In 12 cases, the organization helped them escape. Nine people received assistance in crossing the border illegally. 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 "Idite lasom" organization managed to evacuate one Russian with access to classified materials from the country.

The soldier mentioned at the beginning of the text, Anton, said that during a break from the fighting on the front, he watched a journalistic report about "Idźcie lasom" on his phone. He confided that after the first bloody assaults, everyone in his unit was thinking about how to escape. However, they were being 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 Putin's army - believes the Polish military officer.