Glukhov was not the only military absentee in South Ossetia

Sergeant Alexander Glukhov who deserted his military unit based in Akhalgori for Georgia was not the first one to quit Russian military troops deployed in South Ossetia. Shortly before the incident with Glukhov, another soldier had tried to run away home via Georgia; however he was detained there and sent back.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on January 26, Alexander Glukhov, 21, who took his service in Akhalgori, left his unit and addressed for help to Georgian police.

The "Moskovskiy Komsomolets" (MK) newspaper writes that the idea of sergeant's kidnapping by Georgian special agencies is treated by Russian militaries in Tskhinvali with irony. The MK managed to establish that Glukhov made a spontaneous decision to escape, when in the evening he was sent to a shop. The officers from the unit where Glukhov served say that he had deserted quite consciously, and then, "by virtue of his mental capabilities" could not even understand what he had done.

The last before Glukhov desertion incident took place quite recently - a private from Buryatia ran away from the battalion deployed in the upper Akhalgori. He wanted to get home, but he badly knew the territory, therefore moved in direction of Nikozi. In this Georgian village he took a bus, but was detained by Georgian policemen. They contacted the Russian command and then delivered the soldier to Russian militaries.

After he was captured, he did not serve for long, and ran away again - this time in direction of Russia. He was captured in the area of the Rokskiy Tunnel; then, he was transferred to some other unit.

Officers explain that now soldiers all over Russia are offered to sign a contract and for good money go to South Ossetia, however, very few agree. Therefore, the militaries have to send mandatory servicemen there.

"Commander of 58th Army: Glukhov was recruited by Georgia special agencies," "Glukhov: I asked for political asylum... Nobody kidnapped me."