in a first, france welcomes russian army deserters  six russian soldiers who fled the fighting in ukraine have found refuge in france and hope to receive asylum, in a landmark case of russian deserters being welcomed in an eu country as a group. the deserters, all of whom had reached france via kazakhstan, told afp in a series of interviews they hoped their actions would encourage other russian men to defy moscow authorities and flee the war, now in its third year. "maybe, thanks to my example, someone will be inspired and want to quit the army," said alexander, who unwittingly took part in moscow's invasion of ukraine. "the weaker the army at the front is, the fewer people there are, the quicker the war will end and ukraine will win," said the 26-year-old. among those who have arrived in france over the past few months are mostly those who managed to desert before being sent to the front. alexander, however, was dispatched to ukraine but eventually managed to flee. the six russian deserters arrived in france thanks to support from rights groups including russie-libertes, a paris-based association.  speaking to afp in the northwestern french city of caen, alexander said he was in shock when russia's invasion began in february, 2022. having left with his unit for "military exercises" in the peninsula of crimea annexed by russia in 2014, he recounted crossing the ukrainian border in a convoy and suddenly finding himself "in another country".  "our commanders told us it would be over in ten days," he said. another deserter said he wanted russian soldiers to know there was "always" a choice. "there is always a possibility to lay down your arms, not to kill other people and to end your participation in this war," 27-year-old sergei (not his real name) said in paris. since vladimir putin invaded ukraine, western countries including france have welcomed thousands of anti-kremlin russians. >  253143/in-a-first-france-welcomes-r ussian-army-deserters
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