Vladislav Balgrabsky surrendered to save five soldiers under his command. Now Russia is putting him on trial for treason.
The criminal case against Vladislav Balgrabsky, a 30-year-old who fought in the war, has reached the 2nd Western District Military Court, the independent Russian outlet Mediazona reported. He is charged with voluntarily surrendering to the enemy, desertion, and treason.
Vladislav Balgrabsky, a 30-year-old Russian soldier, surrendered to Ukrainian forces in April 2025 to save five of his comrades under his command. He was charged with treason, desertion, and surrendering voluntarily to the enemy in a case brought before the 2nd Western District Military Court. Balgrabsky claimed he surrendered due to an impossible order and the desire to survive and reunite with his family.
His video, published by Ukrainian journalist Yuriy Butusov, garnered over 990,000 views. Following his surrender, his detention was extended multiple times, indicating that his case was being heard personally by the court. Balgrabsky was returned to Russia as part of a prisoner exchange between April and December 2025. The criminalization of voluntary surrender in Russia's Criminal Code came into effect in 2022, following the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
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