The Deserter: An Epic Story of Love and War

Ivan arrives at his final destination. Anna trusts a stranger to help navigate their new home country.

In “The Deserter,” the journalist Sarah A. Topol reports the story of Ivan, a deserter who served as a captain in the Russian Army, fought in Ukraine and then ultimately fled the war and his country with his wife, Anna. (Ivan and Anna are pseudonyms used for their protection.)

Topol spoke to 18 deserters while reporting in eight countries across four continents over the last year and a half; their experiences helped inform a vivid picture of the Russian war operation and its corruption, chaos and brutality.

This audio version is in five parts and is narrated by Liev Schreiber.

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Ivan arrives at a field hospital, where he devises a plan to avoid returning to the front. The family is reunited, but Ivan realizes that his plan may not be enough.

In “The Deserter,” the journalist Sarah A. Topol reports the story of Ivan, a deserter who served as a captain in the Russian Army, fought in Ukraine and then ultimately fled the war and his country with his wife, Anna. (Ivan and Anna are pseudonyms used for their protection.)

Topol spoke to 18 deserters while reporting in eight countries across four continents over the last year and a half; their experiences helped inform a vivid picture of the Russian war operation and its corruption, chaos and brutality.

This audio version is in five parts and is narrated by Liev Schreiber.

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Ivan is transported to Ukraine and tasked with training the newly mobilized troops, many of whom have no combat experience. Ivan and his platoon prepare for their assault on “the Boot,” a farmland heavily fortified by Ukrainian troops.

At the same time, pro-military propaganda heats up in Russia. Anna is pressured to delete a social media post and moves to be with her family. She struggles to find supplies for Ivan, and she finds a group that helps service members escape.

In “The Deserter,” the journalist Sarah A. Topol reports the story of Ivan, a deserter who served as a captain in the Russian Army, fought in Ukraine and then ultimately fled the war and his country with his wife, Anna. (Ivan and Anna are pseudonyms used for their protection.)

Topol spoke to 18 deserters while reporting in eight countries across four continents over the last year and a half; their experiences helped inform a vivid picture of the Russian war operation and its corruption, chaos and brutality.

This audio version is in five parts and is narrated by Liev Schreiber.

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

The invasion of Ukraine begins — and goes far worse than Russia anticipated. The Kremlin cracks down on dissent, rebellion spreads in the ranks, soldiers walk off the battlefield and entire units refuse to fight. An enlistment drive starts, and Putin’s mobilization sets off a panic, triggering a stampede for the borders.

Ivan refuses to be sent to the front. When Ivan’s commander announces that his platoon will be sent to fight, Ivan resists. Ivan learns that his name is on a combat order, and Anna begins contacting people who might help.

In “The Deserter,” the journalist Sarah A. Topol reports the story of Ivan, a deserter who served as a captain in the Russian Army, fought in Ukraine and then ultimately fled the war and his country with his wife, Anna. (Ivan and Anna are pseudonyms used for their protection.)

Topol spoke to 18 deserters while reporting in eight countries across four continents over the last year and a half; their experiences helped inform a vivid picture of the Russian war operation and its corruption, chaos and brutality.

This audio version is in five parts and is narrated by Liev Schreiber.

Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

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We meet Ivan and Anna, who fall for each other at a club and later marry. Ivan dreams of adventure but confronts the reality of life in the military, and Anna worries that Ivan’s talents are wasted in the army.

Ivan gets a corrupt new commander, “Pig,” who brings conflict and a demotion. After a visit with friends in St. Petersburg, Ivan and Anna plan for a new life.

In “The Deserter,” the journalist Sarah A. Topol reports the story of Ivan, a deserter who served as a captain in the Russian Army, fought in Ukraine and then ultimately fled the war and his country with his wife, Anna. (Ivan and Anna are pseudonyms used for their protection.)

Topol spoke to 18 deserters while reporting in eight countries across four continents over the last year and a half; their experiences helped inform a vivid picture of the Russian war operation and its corruption, chaos and brutality.

This audio version is in five parts and is narrated by Liev Schreiber.

Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.