Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine over three years ago, only slightly more than 350 Russian citizens in military age have received asylum or another form of protection in Germany. This information comes from the response of the Federal Ministry of the Interior to a question by the Left party, as reported by the newspapers of the Funke Media Group (Wednesday editions). The party wanted to find out how many Russian deserters and other men who do not want to participate in the illegal war have found refuge in the Federal Republic. According to the response, a total of 6,374 men with Russian passports between the ages of 18 and 45 submitted an asylum application to the Federal Agency for Migration and Refugees. However, only 349 of these were recognized as refugees or received subsidiary protection or benefit from a ban on deportation. The remaining applications were rejected or deemed closed, for example, because another European country was responsible for the procedure. Left party member Clara Bünger criticized the restrictive decision-making practice: “Compared to the estimated hundreds of thousands who have left Russia since then to avoid military service, this is a shamefully low number” she said. Bünger also stated that the promise of former Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has not even been “marginally” fulfilled. Scholz had expressed support for offering protection to Russian citizens who do not want to participate in the war and refuse to be called up. President Vladimir Putin has only ordered a partial mobilization in Russia. The refugee organization Pro Asyl assumes that individuals who flee from the already assumed military service in Russia – deserters – have the best chances of being recognized as refugees in Germany. It would be much more difficult for war resisters and people who have not yet been called up but want to avoid the impending military seizure.
Germany Grants Asylum to Just 350 Russians in 3 Years Amid War
