The Russian deserters escaping from Putin’s army

Grigory Sverdlin ran a homelessness charity in St Petersburg before the war began.

But after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Grigory’s friends warned him that it wasn’t safe for him to stay in Russia due to his public anti-war position – authorities also began pursuing those who protested against the invasion.

Grigory drove for thousands of kilometres through Europe before reaching Georgia, where he would later set up Idite Lesom.

The core members of the group and anti-war Russians operated in exile at first from their base in Tbilisi and later Barcelona, meeting weekly to discuss each of their roles from route planning to charity fundraising.

But as the relationship between Georgian and Russian authorities grew closer, by autumn 2024, Idite Lesom felt it was unsafe to continue its operations in Tbilisi.

While in Georgia, Grigory discovered he had been listed as a “foreign agent” by the Russian government – an added pressure to his personal security and proof that he could be a target.

Grigory along with other core members moved to Barcelona, where the group is now based.

Idite Lesom says it has supported over 48,000 people since the war started. Beyond helping them evade capture, it offers other services including psychological support and, in some cases, financial aid.

Operating almost entirely online, the group’s Telegram Bot, which provides automatic responses based on questions clients send to the group, is the first point of call for deserters or those seeking the group’s help.