The case centers on a soldier who faced imprisonment after leaving his military unit in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) without permission. The decision establishing a six-year prison term was issued by the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Garrison Court press service. The court’s press release also stated that the sentence includes placement in a general regime correctional colony, and that the individual has been stripped of the rank of petty officer sergeant.
According to the court’s findings, the events began on March 19, 2023, when the convict, without a valid justification for leaving, departed from the temporary accommodation point of a military unit operating in the DPR. The narrative notes that the individual initially spent time idle in the republic, then traveled to their home in the Krasnodar Territory to rest and assist with household chores. On September 13, the person reported to a military unit in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and voluntarily ceased to evade military service, effectively returning to duty.
An earlier development in the case showed that the soldier, who had sustained injuries during an air attack, had previously received probation for a seven-day absence caused by hospitalization. The probation period was one and a half years, reflecting a prior attempt by the authorities to balance disciplinary measures with considerations related to medical needs and short, non-violent absences.
In another related disposition, two Russian soldiers faced a sentence of five years in a colonial detention facility for unsanctioned desertion from their units. This illustrates a broader pattern in which the military justice system responds to unauthorized departures, weighing factors such as the length of absence, the circumstances surrounding the misstep, and whether the individuals returned to service in a timely manner.