Born in the USSR, claimed stateless in Finland, fighting for Ukraine—now jailed in Russia
Burkina Faso's Russia-backed junta seized him in Ouagadougou and handed him secretly to Russia, where Moscow's Basmanny Court—the tribunal used for politically sensitive cases—sealed his verdict.
Mikael, a 50-year-old Ukrainian volunteer who fought against Russia in the ongoing war, has been jailed in Russia. According to Finnish investigative news outlet Helsingin Sanomat (HS), Mikael was seized in West Africa while working as a civilian for a mining firm. The junta in Burkina Faso, which is allied with Russia, handed him over to Russian authorities, who charged him with mercenarism.
This crime carries a potential sentence of seven to 15 years, though the court's final decision and the exact length of Mikael's imprisonment remain unknown. Born in the USSR, Mikael lived in Finland on a residence permit and held documents that marked him as stateless, a status that Finnish authorities have questioned. He had previously been investigated in Finland for embezzlement and fraud, but was ultimately released.
Mikael's case marks the first time a former Ukrainian soldier has been detained in Russia outside of the country's own borders.
Written by urgent.news from Euromaidan Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
