A portrait of one of the several military defectors from Myanmar since the coup on February 1, 2021. Together with teachers, medics, and police officers who refuse to carry out their duties under the current military administration, they have put their lives and the lives of their loved ones at risk by joining the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM). Several of them are currently actively taking part in the Spring Revolution of the people against military government. Although it is well known in comparative research that defections can significantly influence the outcome of popular movements for pro-democracy against authoritarian governments, it is crucial to comprehend how defections develop, are motivated, and are confronted in each unique situation. The number of soldiers who later joined the resistance is unknown, but the National Unity Government (NUG), which is made up of elected officials who were ousted in the coup and other pro-democracy leaders, claims that some of them are engaged in the manufacture of weapons, the planning of battles, and the sharing of intelligence for the uprising.
