A soldier was convicted in Nalchik for prolonged absence from his unit.

A court in Nalchik sentenced a serviceman who was absent from his unit for more than a year during mobilization to a prison term.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot," on September 24, 2022, parts 2.1, 3.1, and 5 of Article 337, concerning unauthorized abandonment of a unit or place of service during mobilization, were introduced into the Russian Criminal Code. The amendments provide for imprisonment for up to 10 years. Tighter legislation following the announcement of mobilization led to harsher sentences for absence from a military unit and desertion.

A serviceman named Aidarov was found guilty under Part 5 1 of Article 337 of the Russian Criminal Code, the Nalchik Garrison Military Court reported on its VKontakte page.

08:14 28.03.2026

The case of a contract soldier from Vladikavkaz highlights the problem of violations of the rights of military personnel

A Vladikavkaz resident held a picket to demand that the sentence for leaving her son's unit, who was found fit for service despite a spinal injury sustained at a training ground, be overturned. Human rights activists have called the practice of returning soldiers who have not fully recovered systematic.

According to the court, the serviceman failed to report to his military unit at the appointed time on February 20, 2025, during mobilization, without good reason.

"On March 7, 2026, Aidarov was found by police officers in the village of Kizlyar in the Mozdok District of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania. From February 20, 2025, to March 7, 2026, Aidarov spent his time at his own discretion at his place of residence," the publication states.

In court, Aidarov fully admitted his guilt. "The defendant was sentenced to five years of actual imprisonment in a general regime penal colony," the court stated.

The court's press service did not provide the name of the convicted man. As of 10:45 a.m. Moscow time on April 25, Aidarov's case file is unavailable on the court's website. "The information is temporarily unavailable. We apologize. Please try again later or contact the court directly," the "Court Proceedings" page on the court's website states.

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 have concluded that a presidential decree is not needed to end partial mobilization, Putin's press secretary explained.

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