Britain Grants Russian Soldier Asylum

[CHIMO]

In an unprecedented decision that could chill bilateral relations, a London court has granted political asylum to a Russian conscript who fled hostilities in Chechnya.

He deserted because he considered the war politically motivated and was afraid that he would be required to "kill innocent civilians and destroy property in a reprehensible manner," the court ruling said.

He claimed he fled the country because he feared that as a deserter he would be jailed for an unfairly long time in a poorly maintained prison.

"A threat of punishment in fact is more than an adequate basis to grant an asylum," said Tanya Lokhina, program director at the Moscow Helsinki Group.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2004/11/22/003.html

[makhno]

1. Weird story

I wonder how he was able to get to the UK if his family wasn't wealthy or connected enough to avoid his being sent to Chechnya in the first place. The Moscow Times is a dirty little anti-Russian rag, so there could be more to the story than what they're willing to tell.

This sure is going to do wonders for Anglo-Russian relations after the whole Zakayev business.