A total of 2,381 Russian citizens have applied for asylum in Germany from the beginning of January to the end of March this year. That's according to specialist information service Table Media, citing figures from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). 

After these three months only, the number came close to that of the whole of last year, when 2,851 applications were recorded in total.

According to Table Media, there was a significant increase in the age group of 19 to 30-year-old Russian men and women applying for asylum during the first three months of this year. The proportion of men among asylum seekers from Russia also was greater than last year, Table Media reported: While 59% of applicants from Russia in 2022 were male, the corresponding figure from January to the end of March 2023 was at 64%, according to the report.

The rise in asylum applications filed by Russian nationals started had rising significantly in the last year already: In the month of December alone, 529 asylum applications were lodged, amounting to more than one fifth of last year's total.

However, Russians in total only accounted for 1.3% of the overall number of asylum applications submitted in 2022.

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Number of deserters unknown

Table Media attributed the increase in asylum claims to Russia's mobilization of recruits in its war of aggression against Ukraine.

News agency dpa reported said that a BAMF spokeswoman had clarified in front of Table Media that truant Russians "who do not want to participate in Putin's war can apply for asylum in Germany."

"As a rule, they will receive international protection," she added.

The number of potential Russian conscripts absconding the war effort among all Russian applicants has, however, not been determined, the spokeswoman added, according to dpa.

Read more: Ukrainians in Germany oppose asylum for Russian deserters

with dpa, AFP