Chechens in Bosnia seek to dodge Russian draft, reach EU

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — A group of ethnic Chechens fleeing Russia has arrived in Bosnia with hopes of using the Balkan country as a launchpad to reach the European Union and avoid getting sent to fight in Ukraine. The Bosnian Security Ministry said Wednesday that about 50 people, predominantly from Russia’s Chechnya region, were congregated near Bosnia’s northwestern border with EU-member Croatia. The ministry says the travelers want to reach the EU “because, in their own words, they are fleeing military draft” in Russia. Russians can enter Bosnia without a visa and are permitted to stay in the country for a maximum of 90 days. The ethnic Chechens gathered near the Bosnia-Croatia border include families with children.