Overview

• Roman Ivanishin, a Russian soldier and veteran, was sentenced to 15 years in a maximum-security prison for desertion and voluntary surrender to Ukrainian forces.
• This marks the first prosecution under Russia's 2022 law criminalizing voluntary surrender, which carries penalties of three to 10 years in prison.
• Ivanishin was captured by Ukrainian forces in June 2023, where he appeared in a video denouncing Russia's military campaign, though it is unclear if he spoke under duress.
• After being returned to Russia in a January 2024 prisoner exchange, Ivanishin was placed under investigation and later tried in a closed military court on Sakhalin Island.
• The case sets a legal precedent and reflects Russia's intensified efforts to deter desertion and maintain control over military narratives during the conflict.