Ukraine Warupdated 49m ago2 min read
FSB Detains German Mercenary Accused Of Fighting For Ukraine
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FSB detained a German citizen accused of mercenarism for fighting with Ukraine. Allegedly signed a three-year contract with the Ukrainian army in Nov 2025 and deserted.
FSB detains German
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said it detained a German citizen who it described as an active member of the Ukrainian armed forces and accused of mercenarism. The FSB said the man arrived in Ukraine in November 2025 and signed a three-year contract with the Ukrainian army, then deserted after not receiving the promised remuneration.
The FSB said the detainee served in Ukraine between 2016 and 2018 as a sniper in a territorial defense unit, and it said he took part in fighting in Afghanistan, Syria and Somalia. The FSB said a criminal case against the detainee will likely be opened under Article 359 of the Russian Criminal Code, and it said the agency’s public relations center revealed the arrest on Wednesday.
Contract, desertion, video
The FSB claimed the detainee “made a three-year contract with the Ukrainian armed forces” before deserting due to non-payment of his remuneration, according to DHnet. The FSB released a video in which the man speaks in German during his detention, and it said it was not disclosed why the detainee was in Russia.
The FSB stated it had “detained a German citizen who is an active member of the Ukrainian armed forces,” and it said the Russian intelligence claims cannot be independently verified. The FSB did not specify the reason for his presence in Russia and did not disclose the place and circumstances of his arrest.
Broader pattern of arrests
The FSB repeatedly reports arrests of pro-Ukrainian suspects and regularly warns its own citizens against being recruited to commit crimes against the Russian state. A criminal case against the German citizen on charges of mercenary activity was opened by the FSB, and the FSB did not say how he ended up in Russia.
The FSB reported on October 15 that it detained a Swedish citizen who allegedly fought for Ukraine and said the security service said the man was traveling to Russia “under the guise of enlisting in the Russian Armed Forces” to carry out sabotage at military facilities. Russian courts have handed down long prison sentences to hundreds of people over the past four years for accusations including treason, sabotage, or espionage.