Particle.news
Download on the App Store
5 ARTICLES
·
last wk.

Germany Faces Criticism Over Low Asylum Approval for Russian Draft Evaders

Despite over 6,300 applications since 2022, only 349 Russian men fleeing conscription have been granted protection in Germany, raising questions about asylum policies.

Menschen hinter einem Geländer vor Werbung für die russische Armee (Archiv)
Russische Soldaten, hier bei der Militärparade auf dem Roten Platz anlässlich des 80. Jahrestags des Sieges der Sowjetunion über Nazi-Deutschland
Image

Overview

  • Germany has approved asylum or protection for just 349 out of 6,374 Russian men who applied between January 2022 and April 2025 to avoid military service.
  • The low approval rate contrasts sharply with former Chancellor Olaf Scholz's 2022 pledge to protect Russians refusing to participate in the Ukraine war.
  • Russian conscription efforts have intensified, with a record 160,000 men drafted in March 2025 as the Ukraine war continues.
  • NGOs highlight that active-duty deserters have better chances of asylum in Germany compared to preemptive objectors who flee before conscription.
  • Opposition MP Clara Bünger has criticized Germany's restrictive asylum practices, calling the low approval numbers 'shamefully low.'