In “The Deserter,” Sarah A. Topol reports the story of Ivan, a captain in the Russian Army who fought in Ukraine and then ultimately fled the war and his country with his wife, Anna. Topol spoke to 18 deserters while reporting in eight countries across four continents over the last year and a half; their experiences helped paint a vivid picture of the Russian war operation and its corruption, chaos and brutality.

Narrated by Liev Schreiber.

“The Deserter” is a five-part special series in collaboration with The New York Times Magazine.

All five parts of this audio feature can be found here or by searching for “The Deserter” on the NYT Audio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

The text version of the story can be found here.
 

Soon, you’ll need a subscription to keep full access to this show, and to other New York Times podcasts, on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Don’t miss out on exploring all of our shows, featuring everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts.