Germany is deporting more and more Russian citizens back to Russia, even though there is not a single direct flight between the two countries. The number of deportations could increase if the courts and authorities consider a ruling by the Higher Administrative Court of Berlin-Brandenburg (reference number OVG 12 B 17/23) as a precedent.

The court found that young Russian men called up for basic military service faced virtually no risk of being sent to fight in Russia's war in Ukraine, and instead were likely to be deployed to patrol the borders with Ukraine or at the illegally annexed Crimean peninsula. Thus, it argued, there was no reason to grant these Russians asylum in Germany as being called up for military service alone did not provide sufficient grounds for protection.

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Though this ruling dates from August, the media have only just been made aware. Research on this case is a coproduction between DW and the German news outlet tagesschau.de.

What began as an individual lawsuit against being deported to Russia has led to a landmark ruling that could dash the hopes of hundreds of Russian conscientious objectors to obtain asylum in Germany.

The plaintiff in question was neither a conscientious objector nor a deserter, but a 22-year-old Russian national of Chechen descent. He had come to Germany at the age of 10 with his family, who was not granted asylum but issued a temporary leave to remain.

The young man turned to crime and became........

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