Ten Ex-Prisoners Go Missing from Russian Army Training Base Amid Victory Day Celebrations

At least ten individuals previously incarcerated who enlisted in the Russian army have reportedly escaped from a military training facility in the Rostov region of southern Russia, according to local media sources quoting an anonymous law enforcement official.

The men were noted as missing after they did not show up for uniform distribution on Friday morning, as reported by the regional news website 161.ru. At the time of their disappearance, all of them were said to be unarmed.

The escape reportedly occurred on May 9, coinciding with Russia’s nationwide Victory Day festivities commemorating the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

Out of the escapees, four were allegedly apprehended while trying to leave the Rostov region, which shares a border with Ukraine. Authorities have tracked down two more and were preparing to take them into custody, the source indicated.

The current locations of the remaining four individuals remain unknown.

The escapees were previously serving sentences for serious offenses, such as murder, rape, and drug trafficking, before their recruitment into the Russian Armed Forces. They had signed contracts and were gearing up for deployment in the conflict in Ukraine, according to 161.ru.

The Russian Defense Ministry and military investigators have not issued any comments regarding the reported desertion.