SAMARA, Volga Region. Feb 7 (Interfax-AVN) - Over 100 servicemen who went AWOL in the Volga-Ural military district have returned to their units in the course of the operation on voluntarily return of runaways launched in mid-January, a spokesman for the district's political work department told Interfax-Military News Agency on Thursday.
Each serviceman was asked about reasons for his going AWOL, the spokesman said. Most of them name hazing, hardships of military service and poor living conditions as the reasons, the spokesman said. In general, 2,613 deserters voluntarily surrendered to military prosecutor's offices of the district's garrisons from 1998 to 2001.
The operation was organized by the district command in cooperation with officers of military prosecutors and military commissioners in the regions forming part of the military district. It will continue until February 21. The district command made an official statement proposing the deserters to go to military commissioner's offices and military prosecutor's offices. Those who show up before the end of the operation will not be punished in any way regardless of their reasons for going AWOL if they had not committed any other crimes, the spokesman said.