Four years after Russia's partial mobilization, one draftee fights on the front while another flees abroad
Russia's 2022 partial mobilization is still in force, with over 300,000 men drafted and at least 20,000 killed; Maxim remains at the front, whereas Temirzhan Bayanov managed to escape the draft and left the country.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the partial mobilization announced in the fall of 2022 remains active, having conscripted more than 300,000 men and causing at least 20,000 fatalities. Maxim, whose name and hometown of Pskov are altered for safety, was working as a refrigeration engineer when he received a draft notice in October 2022. After a brief medical exam and two weeks of training, he was transported by train to the Luhansk People's Republic, where he was assigned to a dugout near Sievierodonetsk and later fought in the surrounding area, describing the experience as a harsh introduction to war.
He says the conflict has reshaped his perception of Ukrainians into enemies. Meanwhile, Temirzhan Bayanov, originally from Omsk, attempted to evade the mobilization by going into hiding and moving between cities, but authorities eventually located him. After being processed, he managed to flee Russia and now lives outside the country, having avoided front-line service.
