Kazakhstan deported FSO officer who left Russia due to mobilization

Kazakhstan deported to Russia an officer of the Federal Security Service (FSO) Mikhail Zhilin, who left the country after the start of partial mobilization in September, RBC reports, citing a message from his wife Ekaterina.

According to her, the transfer of Zhilin to the Russian side was confirmed by the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights. This was also reported by Kazakh human rights activist Yevgeny Zhovtis to Orda.k. According to him, the day before, on December 29, the major was released from the pre-trial detention center in Astana, where he was held on charges of illegally crossing the border, and handed over to the migration service. At the same time, the authorities did not wait for a decision on his appeal against the denial of refugee status.

Zhilin served in the Federal Security Service for 18 years. According to his wife, he opposed the military operation in Ukraine and did not want to participate in it. After the announcement of partial mobilization at the end of September, the family decided to leave for Kazakhstan. Ekaterina and her children crossed the border through the checkpoint, and Zhilin crossed it illegally because of fears that he would not be released from Russia due to access to state secrets. From Kazakhstan, Zhilin planned to fly to Armenia, but was detained at the airport, as Russia put him on the international wanted list. Zhilin was detained by Kazakh border guards. In two countries, the man was charged with illegal border crossing (Article 322 of the Criminal Code), and in Russia also with desertion (Article 338 of the Criminal Code). The couple tried to obtain refugee status in Kazakhstan, but were refused.