Imagine if all those killometer long traffic jams at the border were instead heading into Moscow or the Kremlin to start a proper uprising.

Fleeing their country not only burders the country that they flee to with having to feed them, make sure they aren't upto funny business and other stuff, but it also removes a burden from Russia while leaving those in charge unopposed.

These fleeing deserters are perhaps more effective as deserters than they are as soldiers.

If it is sick folk and children fleeing some genocide, that's different.. but these are healthy people just running away because they don't have the balls to stand up to the government despite having a huge numbers advantage.

These deserters deserve the welcome they get.