A Swedish non-profit dedicated to peace and military disarmament has called on Sweden to allow Russians fleeing mobilization and conscription to be eligible to claim asylum in the European Union.
The Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society’s chair Kerstin Bergeå stated that her group wants to see both Sweden and the European Union take in Russians who refuse to participate in the war in Ukraine following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent announcement that the country will be calling up hundreds of thousands of reservists in a partial mobilization.
“We think that Sweden, together with the EU, should give a clear message that conscientious objectors can get a safe haven in Europe,” Bergeå told broadcaster SVT.
According to the broadcaster, fleeing conscription is generally not a qualifier for a positive asylum claim but noted Russians may be given protection under special circumstances.
Russians arrive in Kazakhstan crossing the Syrym border crossing point on September 27, 2022. – Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on September 21 a mobilisation of hundreds of thousands of Russian men to bolster Moscow’s army in Ukraine, sparking demonstrations and an exodus of men abroad. (Photo: STRINGER/AFP via Getty Images)
Bernd Parusel of the Swedish Institute for European Policy Studies (Sieps) stated that he was optimistic about the chances of Russians gaining asylum in the European Union saying, “I make the assessment that Russian war refusers in the circumstances we have right now have a pretty good chance of getting asylum in the EU. This is because if a person refuses to participate in a war that is considered illegal, a war of aggression contrary to international law, then it is a reason to get refugee status in the EU.”
Since Putin announced the mobilization of around 300,000 troops Russia has seen an exodus of around 261,000 men in the first four days following the announcement according to the Russian security service, the FSB.
Neighbouring countries to Russia, such as those in central Asia, have seen tens of thousands of people trying to flee across the border, with Kazakhstan alone claiming as many as 100,000 Russians have fled to the country largely due to the fact Russian nationals do not require visas to enter.
Flights to other countries, such as Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan have also been reportedly sold out, while the lines of cars along the border with Georgia are said to extend for as long as ten miles.
Follow Chris Tomlinson on Twitter at @TomlinsonCJ or email at ctomlinson(at)breitbart.com.