In 18th-century Russia, for example, tens of thousands of runaway peasants were captured every year, but that number likely represents only a fraction of those who successfully eluded recapture.
[4] Escape was sometimes encouraged by other landowners, who needed labour and promised better working conditions, even if such attitude was illegal and penalised by a fine, which compounded the problem.
Stanziani writes about 17th century Russia: "For a few few fugitives who were returned to their 'legitimate owners', millions of other peasants were left in their new places".
[12] Peasants chose to escape if they felt that they had little to lose; or suffered from heavy taxation and exploitation, theft and hunger; or wanted avoid military conscription or religious persecution.
[13][14][15] In Eastern Europe, the lands of the Cossacks were seen during the Early Modern Period as a refuge for many runaway serfs.