Since the announcement of conscription in Russia in September 2022, the courts have opened 9,059 cases of unauthorized departure from military units, 627 cases of disobeying orders, and 339 cases of desertion. A total of 10,085 people have been accused in these cases, with 8,594 already sentenced, Mediazona said. Before the conscription announcement, Russian soldiers were rarely prosecuted for refusing to serve, the publication said. However, by the end of April 2024, courts were issuing 34 to 35 sentences per day. Judges often hand down suspended sentences in these cases, allowing commanders …