On 9th December 2025, conscientious objectors (COs) from both Russia and Ukraine spoke to an online audience of over 100 people in the UK. Attendees heard about their experiences and resistance to military conscription, as well as from peace campaigners across Europe supporting their right to refuse to kill.

Hundreds of thousands of people have refused to fight in the war in Ukraine, though their stories are seldom reported in the media. In both Russia and Ukraine, conscientious objection and desertion are often met with severe penalties and imprisonment.

The unique online event brought together three COs from Russia - one who had refused conscription and two deserters - and one deserter from Ukraine. It was coordinated by peace campaigners in Georgia and Germany who are working together to support COs, and hosted by a coalition of thirteen UK peace groups.

All four COs who spoke have fled their home countries to seek refuge elsewhere. They told the gathering about being denied asylum and pursued by military police across borders. They voiced their political objection to killing ordinary people sucked into a war that has already led to over a million casualties.

Mikheil Elizbarashvili, a Georgian peace campaigner from the Peace and Service Network, spoke about his work offering counselling to COs and supporting their search for a safe country. He is in touch with many Russian COs and spoke about their harrowing journeys across Europe and sometimes further afield.

The gathering then heard from Jürgen Menzel, a peace campaigner working for AFPB Germany, which campaigns for asylum rights for COs. His work has led to several COs being settled in Germany. It has also come at considerable personal cost, as he has spent time in prison on charges of people smuggling for supporting COs.

For security reasons, the speeches by COs were not recorded. They were each asked what message they would like to pass on to supporters in the UK about their experiences.

Semyon Subbotin, a former Russian serviceman who refused to participate in the war, stated: "My attitude towards what is happening in Russia is extremely negative. The regime in Russia is criminal. I, like many others, consider Putin a maniac and murderer who must be held accountable. I believe that all territories must be returned to Ukraine, and apologies must be made to the Ukrainian people."

Another CO's message was translated from Russian. He wanted people in the UK to know that COs "are ordinary people who refused to accomplish orders... Since they were from the Russian army, often these orders were criminal orders. So they refuse to fight, they refused to kill other people... They want to start a new life, and they have families... They want people in different countries to realise that they are just like them."

A third CO also had his message translated. He told the gathering that, after fleeing Russia, "he applied to many organisations who claim that they work in the field of assistance to conscientious objectors, and only a few have responded." He singled out the Peace and Service Network as being especially helpful and urged similar organisations to follow their example and to "pay attention and assist conscientious objectors."

As the meeting closed, Jürgen Menzel urged UK participants to do what they can to lobby their government and pressure politicians to open the door to COs. Those who want to support COs can also donate to AFPB Germany, which is making a real difference to the lives of COs currently seeking asylum in Germany.

The event, which followed a smaller meeting earlier in the year, was organised by members of the UK organising group for International Conscientious Objectors' Day: Anglican Pacifist Fellowship, Conscience: Taxes For Peace Not War, Fellowship of Reconciliation, ForcesWatch, Movement for the Abolition of War, Network for Peace, Pax Christi, Peace & Justice (Scotland), Peace Pledge Union, Quakers in Britain, The Right to Refuse to Kill Group, War Resisters' International and Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom