updates
Deserting young Russians
Government wants to regulate asylum for refusers across the EU
09/23/2022, 4:15 p.m
Around 300,000 young Russians are said to go to war against Ukraine for Putin, and some are trying to escape by leaving the country. Government spokesman Hebestreit describes this as a “good sign”. The government now wants to talk to other EU countries about accepting the men.
The federal government wants to reach a common line at European level in the next few weeks on how to deal with Russian conscientious objectors. The fact that many Russian men tried to evade military service in Ukraine after the partial mobilization announced on Wednesday was initially “a good sign,” said government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit. Now it’s a matter of finding “a viable solution” together with the other EU countries.
In this special situation, just pointing out that anyone who manages to enter the country can apply for asylum is not sufficient. In each individual case, however, the motives of the alleged conscientious objector must always be checked before admission, Hebestreit emphasized. Because it must be ensured that the person who is admitted is not someone who is moving to Europe on behalf of the Russian state power.
So far, there are no plans for a special reception program or so-called humanitarian visas for Russian conscientious objectors, either in Germany or at EU level. According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Germany has so far taken in 438 people from Russia through a program designed to offer protection to dissidents, journalists and scientists who are particularly at risk.
The spokesman for the ministry, Maximilian Kall, said that the decision-making practice of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees for asylum seekers from Russia had already been changed in April in such a way that “conscientious objection to military service is usually a reason for protection”.
“Have to know, who comes to us from Russia”
Politicians in the traffic light coalition, in agreement with representatives of the Union, had called for Russian deserters to be admitted. Lower Saxony’s Prime Minister Stephan Weil described it as “natural” in “ntv Frühstart” to support people and give them refuge who refused to take part in a “criminal war”. Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser had shown herself open to asylum for refusers. The Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk, called the idea a “wrong approach” and called on young Russians to stay in their own country and to overthrow Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The First Parliamentary Secretary of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, Thorsten Frei, meanwhile spoke out against accepting Russian deserters across the board. “It’s not automatically the case that Putin’s opponents of mobilization are also at risk,” Frei said in an interview with ntv, adding: “That’s why I would warn against making sweeping advances like the interior minister or the justice minister did.”
Frei called for an examination of the individual cases: “You have to check in each individual case whether there is a question of political persecution or not.” Frei justified his stance with Germany’s security interests, among other things: “That’s why it’s crucial that a comprehensive security check takes place and that it’s absolutely clear that we have to know who is coming to us from Russia.”