A pregnant Russian soldier has been given a six-year prison sentence for desertion in a case that sets a precedent, as reported by the newspaper Kommersant on Monday.
Lance Corporal Madina Kabaloyeva was found guilty of not reporting for duty during Russia’s “partial” mobilization, which began in September 2022, a wartime offense that can result in up to 10 years in jail.
The Vladikavkaz Garrison Military Court in southern Russia sentenced Kabaloyeva to six years in a general-security prison colony, according to Kommersant.
Kabaloyeva’s lawyer appealed the decision, but the Southern District Military Court upheld the initial ruling.
In court, Kabaloyeva argued that her unit’s medical company had recommended that she temporarily leave service during her pregnancy. She believed that the medics would inform her command about the recommendation.
Military prosecutors argued that because she continued to receive military allowances and benefits, Kabaloyeva was still technically serving and therefore should be held accountable as a deserter.
As her first-born child, who is currently five years old, turns 14 in 2032, the court granted a temporary suspension on Kabaloyeva’s prison sentence until then.
Kommersant highlights that Kabaloyeva is the first female soldier in Russia to be convicted of desertion since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
