‘Our focus is weakening the Russian army’: For four years, Grigory Sverdlin’s aid group has helped Russians evade the draft and desert
In September 2022, immediately after Putin announced “partial” mobilization, Grigory Sverdlin, the former director of Nochlezhka, a foundation that helps the homeless, launched Idite Lesom (“Get Lost”). For four years now, the project has been helping Russians avoid taking part in the war — evading mobilization or deserting. To date, the organization has helped more than 82,000 people. In his…
In September 2022, following the announcement of "partial" mobilization by Putin, Grigory Sverdlin founded Idite Lesom ("Get Lost"), an organization that has assisted over 82,000 Russians in evading the draft and deserting the war since its inception four years ago. This account, translated from Sverdlin's book "Punkt Obogreva," highlights the organization's creation and early days, detailing the surge in Russian emigration following the mobilization announcement.
Sverdlin, formerly the director of Nochlezhka, a homelessness foundation, was deeply affected by the wave of emigration from Russia in the aftermath of the military conflict with Ukraine. The project initially faced challenges in gaining trust, but its team, composed of volunteer programmers, designers, psychologists, and lawyers, worked diligently to create comprehensive guides on how to avoid the draft and desert.
Emphasizing the importance of a memorable and meaningful name, Sverdlin chose "Idite Lesom," which, after careful consideration, was deemed fitting for the organization's mission. The logo, a minimalist fir tree, symbolizes a path out of the war for those seeking to avoid it. The story underscores Sverdlin's commitment to helping Russians avoid participation in the conflict and embodies the spirit of resilience and ingenuity in the face of adversity.
Written by urgent.news from Meduza (English)'s reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
