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Armed Russian soldier deserts: police
MOSCOW (AFP) May 17, 2003
 A Russian soldier late Friday deserted his post near Russia's second largest city Saint Petersburg, taking his weapon with him, a local police official said.

The military sent a search party to find him, the ITAR-TASS news agency quoted the official as saying.

The number of desertions has increased markedly in recent weeks in the Russian army, I one incident earlier this month 14 soldiers abandoned their post in the southern republic of North Ossetia before being arrested.

Desertions, suicides and killings are frequent in the 1.1-million-strong Russian federal armed forces, where conditions are harsh and recruits are often subjected to bullying and violence.

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