Ukraine War: Russia arrests Germans for "mercenarism"

Ukraine War: Russia Arrests Germans for "Mercenary Work" October 21, 2026 Russia's domestic intelligence service FSB has reported the arrest of a man from Germany who is allegedly a refugee from the Ukrainian armed forces. This is according to the Russian state news agency TASS. The man is suspected of having served as a mercenary for Ukraine, specifically as a sniper. The FSB claims he deserted after not receiving the promised pay. It is said that a criminal trial for mercenary work will be initiated. According to the TASS report, the German citizen allegedly served in the Bundeswehr from 1996 to 2010. The Russian intelligence information is not verifiable by independent sources. Already twice in service for Ukraine? The FSB did not disclose where the suspect was arrested. According to the information, he was also deployed as a Bundeswehr soldier in Afghanistan and Somalia between 2004 and 2010 and fought as a mercenary after his discharge in Syria. From 2016 to 2018, the German served in one of the territorial defense units of the Ukrainian armed forces. This would have been after Russia's illegal annexation of the Ukrainian Peninsula by Russia, but before the Russian war against Ukraine. The German was allegedly on the front line in the Donetsk region at that time, which was partly controlled by pro-Russian separatists. In 2025, he allegedly re-entered Ukraine to earn money and signed a three-year contract for military service. FSB reports arrests repeatedly Russia, which launched its large-scale offensive against Ukraine in February 2022, more often announces that suspected collaborators of the army have been arrested. The intelligence service also regularly warns its citizens against joining for crimes against the Russian state. A week ago, the FSB had already reported the arrest of a Swedish citizen, who is accused of fighting for Ukraine. The man is said to have fought as the commander of a Ukrainian drone unit. According to the FSB, he was arrested for illegal border crossing in the Pskov region of Western Russia. The Swede is suspected of planning sabotage and terrorist attacks on military facilities in Russia. Russian courts have in the past four years imposed long prison sentences on hundreds of people, among whom they have charged for treason, sabotage, or espionage. Several foreigners have also been convicted and imprisoned, including for alleged "mercenary activities" for Ukraine. In April, Russian authorities arrested a German who was allegedly carrying a homemade bomb in his backpack. The accusation: the woman was said to have planned to blow up a public facility in Russia on behalf of Ukraine. AR/gri (dpa, afp)