The decision was made by the French National Court for Refugees. The website of the court says that Russians who evade mobilization or conscription, as well as those who deserted from the Russian Armed Forces, can count on obtaining political asylum in France.
The Court refers to an EU document dated December 13, 2021, which states that refugee status can be obtained with the threat of prosecution or punishment for refusing to “do military service, which in itself would imply the commission of war crimes in a particular conflict, including when a person indirectly participates in the commission of such crimes.”
To get asylum, a Russian needs to prove that he was really subject to military service, but documents on being in the reserve alone will not be enough, the court notes.
The inhabitants of the empire had the opportunity to repeat the history of almost a century ago, when a wave of white military emigrants flooded Paris. In the current situation, this will be a completely different emigration, but still this is a chance from a civilized country, which is provided for the first time. By the way, Ukraine can become a good intermediary for establishing a system of transferring and supporting those who evade.
