Russian military arrests armed deserter

MOSCOW (AFP) May 17, 2003
An armed Russian soldier was arrested early Saturday after deserting his post near Russia's second largest city Saint Petersburg, a defense ministry spokesman told the RIA Novosti news agency.

The deserter did not put up any resistance upon being seized, the ministry spokesman added.

The number of desertions has increased markedly in recent weeks in the Russian army. In 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.

WAR.WIRE