NEWS / Russian soldier forges death certificate to dodge Ukraine War

A Russian soldier was arrested and sentenced to 5 years in prison for presenting a counterfeit death certificate to avoid returning to the battlefront in Ukraine. The soldier had previously been deployed in November 2022, but was given leave in the spring of 2023. His failure to rejoin his unit resulted in a visit to his residence in Buryatia, where the man’s son presented his death certificate to army officials.

Russian army officials later discovered that the death certificate had been purchased from document forgers and arrested would be deserter Zorigto Arabzhaev on May 4. During his hearing, which was held at the Ulan Ude Military Garrison court in Buryatia, Arabzhaev argued that his actions were motivated by his desire to prevent his wife from committing suicide, which she threatened to do if he returned to the front. Shortly before he got mobilized, Arabzhaev’s eldest son was killed in a traffic accident, which caused him and his wife to experience trauma. Nevertheless, the Russian government disregarded these circumstances and sent Arabzhaev to fight in Ukraine.

While the court considered the circumstances of Arabzhaev’s case, judge Artur Fomichev noted that the man’s wife failed to contact medical authorities to treat her suicidal ideation and that Arabzhaev failed to help his wife with psychiatric treatment. Fomichev went on to sentence Arabzhaev to 5 years in prison, which, according to Russian opposition media resource “Siberia. Realities” may be suspended with the goal of sending the man to the frontline.