Overview

• A Russian military court sentenced Roman Ivanishin to 15 years in a maximum security prison for desertion and voluntarily surrendering to Ukrainian forces in 2023.
• This marks the first application of Russia's September 2022 law criminalizing voluntary surrender, which carries penalties of up to 15 years in prison.
• Ivanishin was captured in Ukraine's Donetsk region and appeared in a video denouncing Russia's military campaign and urging others to desert, though it is unclear if he spoke under duress.
• He was returned to Russia through a prisoner exchange in January 2024 and denied all charges during his closed-door trial.
• The case underscores persistent issues of desertion and morale within the Russian military during its ongoing war in Ukraine.