About 90 Russians who evaded mobilization received asylum in Germany

Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, 3,500 Russian men of military age have applied for asylum in Germany. This follows from the response of the Ministry of the Interior of the Federal Republic of Germany to the request of Klara Bünger, a member of the Bundestag from the Left Party.

According to the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland agency, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) has already made a decision on 1,500 applications. As a result, about 90 Russians who evaded mobilization received refugee status.

Regarding the 1,100 declared, a decision was made in accordance with the Dublin Agreement. According to this rule, the EU state through which the applicant for refugee status entered the territory of the EU is responsible for the asylum process. Therefore, Russian men who arrived in Germany from other EU countries had to voluntarily leave or were relocated to these countries.

At present, the courts of the Federal Republic of Germany proceed from the fact that evasion of mobilization or desertion are not recognized as sufficient reasons for obtaining asylum. Only if those evading mobilization face particularly severe punishment, as they belong to a group of people subject to discrimination, this can be considered a reason for receiving refugee status.

Criminal persecution due to evasion of mobilization can be considered political persecution, if the applicant for refugee status would be obliged to take part in the commission of war crimes. The war in Ukraine falls under this definition, since during its course, according to the German authorities, criminal attacks on civilians are committed.

Granting asylum to Russian men who are evading mobilization, however, has not yet become a common practice in Germany, unlike granting asylum to citizens of Ukraine who use simplified admission rules.

Conservative politicians in Germany warn of the danger of the introduction of spies and agents of the Russian special services due to the abuse of refugee status. The internal authorities of the Federal Republic of Germany therefore carry out an additional security check for each applicant for asylum.