Russian court sentences first woman for military absence case

The Moscow Garrison Military Court issued the ruling on 24 April, finding Darya Bezruchko guilty and sentencing her to a general regime penal colony. The case details were disclosed by the law firm Grebenyuk and Partners, News.Az reports, citing Gazeta.

According to the defence, Bezruchko, originally from Horlivka in Donetsk region, has a nursing military specialty. Her lawyer stated that she also faces an administrative case concerning the legality of her mobilisation and that she has consistently denied wrongdoing, saying she was misled about her deployment.

The defence further argued that she obtained Russian citizenship after the mobilisation order was signed and claimed there was no formal military contract in the case materials, questioning her status as a servicemember. It was also stated that she was performing non-combat duties involving household work within the unit rather than serving under a formal contract.