27 deserters are being searched in Kharkov oblast
13.12.2001
Most of the deserters left their units long ago, before 1995. Recently a serviceman we detained, who left his unit and hid from the authorities for more than three years. He was blamed for physical violence toward his comrade at arms. He was tried and deserted on the day when his verdict had to be declared. As members of the militia prosecutors office said, Ruslan Markokhay was spoiled by his power: several months before his demobilization he was appointed a section commander and he misused his power. During two months Ruslan regularly tortured his six subordinates. The commanders learned about the situation and started investigation. After the desertion Markokhay was being searched for 3.5 years. As it became known later, he hid at his relatives place in the Donetsk oblast. He lived on accidental earnings and later found a job of a miner. Now the mine manager will be responsible for it. As to the culprit, he is waiting for the verdict in the preliminary prison. The investigating officer anticipates that Markokhay will get not less than 5 years of incarceration. Yet the final word shall be pronounced by the court martial – there were different precedents. The workers of the military prosecutors office recollect a deserter, who was hiding for 7 years, then was caught, tried and condemned to one year of penal battalion. The investigating officers are satisfied with the decline of the number of deserters by one quarter.