A soldier was convicted in Kabardino-Balkaria for leaving his unit.

A court in Nalchik sentenced Vaisul Batraev to five years in prison, finding him guilty of leaving his unit without permission during mobilization.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot," on September 24, 2022, Parts 2.1, 3.1, and 5 of Article 337, concerning leaving a unit or place of service without permission during mobilization, were added to the Russian Criminal Code. The amendments provide for imprisonment for up to 10 years. Tighter laws following the announcement of mobilization led to harsher sentences for absence from a military unit.

Mobilization deprived contract soldiers from southern Russia of the opportunity to resign

Serviceman Batrayev was found guilty today under Part 5 of Article 337 of the Russian Criminal Code. 1 , the Nalchik Garrison Military Court reports on its VKontakte page.

According to the court, "on February 19, 2025, during mobilization," he left his military unit in Buinaksk without good reason. "On July 3, 2025, Batraev was discovered in the village of Sovetsky by a police officer, and from February 19 to July 3, 2025, he spent his time at his own discretion and evaded military service," the report notes.

The serviceman was sentenced to five years in a general regime penal colony. The court's press service did not provide his name. According to the case file on the court's website, the defendant is Vaisul Batraev. The case was referred to the judge on October 15, and today, at the first hearing, a verdict was handed down.

As a reminder, on September 21, 2022, Vladimir Putin announced partial mobilization. On October 28 of that year, the Minister of Defense reported to the president on its completion, but no corresponding decree followed. Lawyers concluded that a presidential decree is not needed to end partial mobilization, Putin's press secretary explained.

Moreover, on December 12, 2023, the Maykop military court, in its verdict against a mobilized soldier who left his unit in June 2023, emphasized that "partial mobilization was declared in the Russian Federation, which was not completed at the time the crime was committed."