From Airport Transit to Uncertain Freedom: The Journey of Zelimkhan Murtazov

Zelimkhan Murtazov spent four months in the transit zone at Astana International Airport. He is a Chechen and he deserted from the Russian military's "Akhmat" unit. Now Zelimkhan Murtazov has found a way out. On April 20 Zelimkhan Murtazov took a direct flight from the Kazakh capital to Yerevan. His brother Turpal Murtazov says that Zelimkhan Murtazov is getting used to life in Armenia. Zelimkhan Murtazov is happy to feel the sun on his face. Zelimkhan Murtazov is still worried about his safety.

Zelimkhan Murtazov's problems started a time ago. He says he was forced to join the Akhmat unit in August 2022. Chechen security forces told him that if he did not join they would make his younger brothers join instead. Zelimkhan Murtazov was sent to Ukraine, where he worked on construction and earthworks. He did not fight in the war. When his contract was extended without his permission Zelimkhan Murtazov ran away from Russia.

It was not easy for Zelimkhan Murtazov to get to a place. He tried to go to Turkey. They took his passport and sent him back to Kazakhstan. Then Zelimkhan Murtazov got stuck in the airport. Kazakh border guards did not let him into the country. They said it was not safe for Kazakhstan. Zelimkhan Murtazov asked for asylum. They said no. Zelimkhan Murtazov had to sleep on benches in the airport. He got help from airport staff and friends. Zelimkhan Murtazov did not want to go to Belarus or Kyrgyzstan. He was afraid they would send him back to Russia. Zelimkhan Murtazov thought he would be tortured or killed if he went back to Russia.

Now Zelimkhan Murtazov is in Yerevan. He is still not safe. Armenian officials say they will not send Russians back to Russia if it is not fair. There have been problems with Chechen refugees in Armenia before. Zelimkhan Murtazov's family and human rights activists remember what happened to Aishat Baimuradova. She was killed in Yerevan after she ran away from Chechnya. This shows that even if Zelimkhan Murtazov is far from Russia he is not really free.

Zelimkhan Murtazov is not the one who has run away from the Russian military. Many Russian soldiers do not want to fight in Ukraine. They desert the army to avoid the war. If they get caught they might go to prison. Something worse. Human rights organizations are watching what happens to these soldiers. Zelimkhan Murtazov's story shows how desperate these soldiers are to escape the war.