DESERTION OF MILITARY FROM THE SOVIET ARMY DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR

Abstract

In the article, the authors undertake a research in order to elucidate the causes and circumstances of leaving the battlefield by Russian soldiers, who deserted en masse from the Soviet Army during the Second World War and went over to the side of the enemy. Thus, it is mentioned that in the year 1941 many soldiers were in the prime of life among those who suffered as a result of the Bolshevik revolution of 1917, the fight against kulaks, the сossacks as well as other repressions, so it is not surprising that many Soviet soldiers passed on the side of the enemy. Moreover, during more than two decades there was also an extensive purge process within the Soviet Army with the aim of eliminating soldiers disloyal to the regime. In this regard, the cases of desertion, complicity in desertion and instigation to desertion committed by ethnic Russians enlisted in the Soviet Army are presented. Among them, there were self-mutilated soldiers and others who faked illnesses to avoid mobilization and military service during the war. They used such methods to avoid going to the front. Under these conditions, representatives of various peoples of the USSR, including Bessarabians, were enlisted to replace Russian deserters in the Soviet Army. Therefore, the truth is that Russian soldiers were committing crimes on the territory of Bessarabia and Romania while many of our compatriots were fighting on the fronts of the Second World War.

Keywords

• soviet army
• communist totalitarian regime
• the second world war
• desertion
• military crimes