It is reported to be the first time a group of Russian deserters is formally allowed into an EU country, reports The Guardian.
The men are said to have arrived in Paris at various times over the past few months, after first fleeing the front to Russia's neighboring country Kazakhstan in 2022 and 2023.
When I landed in France, it was the first time I could breathe properly. I felt such calm and freedom. The worst was behind me, says Aleksandr, who deserted last summer, to the newspaper.
According to organizations that help the Russian deserters, tens of thousands of Russians have left the battlefields in Ukraine since the full-scale war broke out in February 2022. Western countries have meanwhile debated whether they should be granted asylum – or be considered war criminals and potential security risks.
