A soldier was convicted in Nalchik for prolonged absence from his unit.

A court in Nalchik sentenced Rustam Bariyev to prison for nearly 10 months absent from his unit during mobilization.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot," on September 24, 2022, parts 2.1, 3.1, and 5 of Article 337, concerning unauthorized abandonment of a unit or place of service during mobilization, were amended to the Russian Criminal Code. The amendments provide for imprisonment for up to 10 years. Tightening of legislation after the announcement of mobilization led to harsher sentences for absence from a military unit or desertion.

A serviceman named Bariyev was found guilty on May 5 under Part 5 of Article 337 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, the Nalchik Garrison Military Court reported on its VKontakte page.

According to the court, Bariyev left his military unit without good reason "on May 16, 2025, that is, during the mobilization period."

He spent his time at his own discretion, including at his place of residence. residence

"On March 6, 2026, Bariyev was found by police officers in Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkarian Republic. From May 16, 2025, to March 6, 2026, Bariyev spent his time at his own discretion, including at his place of residence," the publication states.

In court, Bariyev fully admitted his guilt and "expressed regret for his actions." "At the same time, when sentencing, the court took into account the factual circumstances of the case related to the period of Bariyev's evasion of military service, as well as the nature and degree of public danger posed by the defendant's actions, which constituted a serious crime against military service," the court's press service reported.

The defendant was sentenced to five years in a general regime penal colony. "The convicted person was taken into custody in the courtroom and placed in a pretrial detention facility," the publication noted.

The court's press service did not provide the defendant's name. According to the case file on the court's website, the convicted person is Rustam Bariyev. The case was submitted to the court on April 21, and a verdict was rendered at the first hearing.

As a reminder, on September 21, 2022, Vladimir Putin announced partial mobilization. On October 28 of that year, the Minister of Defense reported to the president on its completion, but no corresponding decree followed. Lawyers have concluded that a presidential decree is not needed to end partial mobilization, Putin's press secretary explained.

Moreover, on December 12, 2023, a military court in Maykop, in its verdict against a mobilized soldier who left his unit in June 2023, emphasized that "a partial mobilization was declared in the Russian Federation, which was not completed at the time the crime was committed."