The justice minister in Berlin says deserters from mobilization would get a “warm welcome”
Russians who show their love of liberal democracy by fleeing the partial mobilization would be welcomed in Germany, federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann said in response to Moscow’s announcement on Wednesday. The idea of offering asylum to Russian draft-dodgers, reportedly floated by some members of the ruling coalition, was denounced by other EU lawmakers, however.
“Apparently, many Russians are leaving their homeland,” Buschmann tweeted on Wednesday evening, adding that “anyone who hates [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s path and loves liberal democracy is warmly welcomed in Germany.”
The minister’s comments were in reference to claims in Ukrainian media – which quickly spread in the West – that Russians were fleeing in droves after the Kremlin announced the call-up of 300,000 reservists. Anti-government activists claimed that up to 1,000 people have been arrested around Russia at anti-mobilization protests.
According to the German outlet Der Spiegel, Buschmann’s Free Democratic Party (FDP) and the Greens – two members of the ruling ‘traffic light coalition’ – have proposed granting asylum to Russians who flee the call-up.
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