Ivan, a Russian Army captain who fled the war in Ukraine, shares his gripping story alongside his wife, Anna. They discuss the emotional struggle of love amidst warfare and the harsh realities faced by soldiers. Reporter Sarah A. Topol highlights systemic corruption in the military and the absurdities of military bureaucracy. The couple also navigates new parenthood while dealing with the pressures of the military and their desperate bid for safety. Narrated by Liev Schreiber, their narratives reveal a poignant blend of personal and political turmoil.
Ivan's journey from pride in military service to disillusionment illustrates the personal struggles faced by soldiers in wartime.
The pervasive culture of corruption within the Russian military undermines soldiers' morale and complicates their operational effectiveness.
Propaganda by Putin's government creates a stark dissonance between soldiers' perceived roles and the grim realities of combat life.
Ivan's combat experience starkly contrasts the glorified narratives of military life, revealing the chaos and fear inherent in warfare.
Anna's emotional turmoil as a soldier's wife underscores the profound sacrifices families endure during conflicts, reflecting personal battles of their own.
Deep dives
The Onset of War
The invasion of Ukraine by Russian soldiers marked a significant turning point, where reports indicate substantial casualties on both sides, with at least 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed, a figure that may underrepresent true losses, and over half a million Russian soldiers either killed or wounded. The situation in Ukraine unfolds against a backdrop of military narratives that complexly intertwine with personal stories of those involved. Soldiers' perspectives reveal a deeply personal engagement with the conflict, often driven by family, patriotism, and the harsh realities of military life. As the tragedy accelerates, soldiers grapple with the moral complexities of their involvement, revealing the human impact of conflict beyond mere statistics.
Ivan's Personal Journey
Ivan's life as a soldier in the Russian military unfolded as a story not just of duty, but of personal love and family ties. He experienced a mix of pride and disillusionment, transitioning from a promise of career stability within the military to the chaos of war in Ukraine. His love for Anna, his wife, formed a powerful emotional anchor, intertwining their lives with aspirations of normalcy amidst military obligations. As Ivan navigated through existential questions about loyalty and morality, the story of their love highlights the profound human element often lost in broader discussions of war.
The Impact of Corruption in the Military
The pervasive culture of corruption within the Russian military creates obstacles for soldiers like Ivan, stifling their potential and affecting their morale. Ivan’s experiences reveal systemic failings that prioritize personal gain over military integrity, manifesting in issues like ration theft and inefficient logistics. Escalating corruption persists at all levels of the military, eroding trust and functionality within the ranks. As soldiers endure this reality, the disconnect between leadership promises and on-ground conditions only deepens their struggles and frustrations amidst the war.
Deception and Mobilization
As the war escalates, Putin's government employs deception regarding troop mobilization, falsely promising safety and purpose while obliterating soldiers' agency. Ivan's impending deployment juxtaposes the fabricated narratives shared by state propaganda with the suffocating realities of combat. Many soldiers, drawn in by economic incentives or social pressures, find themselves coerced into roles they neither desired nor fully understood. The sharp contrast between idealized military service and grim battlefield experiences culminates in disillusionment, sipping away at soldiers’ morale before they even engage in combat.
The Reality of Combat
Experiencing combat firsthand, Ivan confronts horrifying realities that contrast sharply with military propaganda promoting heroism and camaraderie. An operation intended to secure territory devolves into chaos, where survival overshadows any notions of valor and brotherhood. Friends are lost, and morale dissipates amidst the fear and uncertainty that permeate the battlefield. In the trenches, Ivan's desire to survive becomes paramount, demonstrating the stark transformation from an idealistic view of military life to the brutal, unrelenting truth faced by soldiers.
The Struggles of Anna
While Ivan grapples with the harshness of frontline combat, Anna faces her own battles back home as the wife of a soldier. She becomes a symbol of resilience and despair, driven by love yet haunted by worries over Ivan's fate. The emotional toll of her husband's deployment takes a significant toll on her mental health as she navigates societal expectations and her fears of losing him. Anna's connection to Ivan serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices families make during wartime, often feeling the strain of conflict in profound, personal ways.
Resistance and Refusal
Reports of soldiers refusing to fight emerge as Ivan navigates his own choices and the harsh consequences of refusing combat orders. His commanding officer pressures him to conform, illustrating the conflict soldiers face between individual morals and military expectations. As Ivan contemplates his options, many peers freely express their reluctance and fear, highlighting a growing dissent within the ranks. This marks a critical evolution in Ivan’s journey, where survival instincts clash with loyalty to a flawed system, ultimately challenging the nature and purpose of military service.
The Dynamics of Command
Ivan's experiences expose systemic issues within military command structures as he encounters incompetent leadership and poor strategic planning. The juxtaposition of experienced soldiers stepping into commanding roles against the backdrop of new, unprepared recruits creates friction that exacerbates tensions at the front. Although commands seem sound in theory, the execution falters dramatically amid the chaos of battle. Ivan's focus helps him adapt, but it doesn't mask the inherent weaknesses of a military grappling with its own contradictions and the high stakes of war.
A Broader Impact of War
The rippling effects of the war reach far beyond the trenches, with societal upheavals evidenced in Anna’s life, community dynamics, and governmental manipulations. As families deal with the absence of soldiers like Ivan, public opinion begins to shift, reflecting a growing resentment toward the propaganda that once fostered military support. The response from Russian families reveals a complex interplay of pride, grief, and disillusionment with the regime's motives. Amid the turmoil, the relationship between soldiers and their families offers a nuanced view of personal sacrifices against the larger narratives of conflict.
In “The Deserter,” Sarah A. Topol reports the story of Ivan, a captain in the Russian Army who fought in Ukraine and then ultimately fled the war and his country with his wife, Anna. Topol spoke to 18 deserters while reporting in eight countries across four continents over the last year and a half; their experiences helped paint a vivid picture of the Russian war operation and its corruption, chaos and brutality.
Narrated by Liev Schreiber.
“The Deserter” is a five-part special series in collaboration with The New York Times Magazine.
Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
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