Russian independent news outlet iStories spoke to three former Russian officers whose consciences would not let them fight in Ukraine. They described why they joined Russia’s Armed Forces and what it took to get out again once they were swept up in Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the mobilization that followed. The three former officers spoke on condition of anonymity, though their identities are known to iStories’ editorial staff. Meduza shares an abridged English version of their stories, by agreement with iStories.