Daria Berg News Today

A growing number of Russian soldiers have deserted their military units in Ukraine. Independent news outlet Mediazone has reported that 2,076 criminal cases were opened in the first half of 2023 against Russian soldiers accused of abandoning their units without leave.

A group of anti-war expatriates in Georgia that helps Russians desert or evade military service has already had thousands of new inquiries since Moscow's plans to tighten its conscription system emerged.

TBILISI -- It's already counseled thousands of Russians eager to avoid what its founder calls "the buzz saw" of war in Ukraine, legally or o