Authorities in the US state of Alaska announced on Thursday that two Russian army deserters sought asylum in the United States after arriving by boat in Alaska.
The office of Senator Lisa Murkowski, representing Alaska, said Russian citizens said they were seeking asylum to avoid mandatory military service. They were found near the city of Alaska, about 64 kilometers from the coast of Russia.
Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a partial military mobilization in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Tens of thousands of men fled abroad to avoid the draft.
Putin’s mobilization campaign has proven to be one of Moscow’s most unpopular moves, sparking protests in cities and regions across the country. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24, has begun to fizzle out after a Ukrainian counterattack retook part of the territory last month.
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy said the two men arrived from Russia by boat and were questioned.
“We do not expect a constant influx of personnel or a fleet of personnel. We have no indication that this will happen, so this could be a one-off,” he added in a statement.
The TASS news agency, citing a spokesman for the Russian embassy in Washington, said that the embassy is aware of the matter and plans to call citizens in the near future.
