Russia detained an Estonian, accusing him of trying to join Ukraine’s armed forces. He had come to see his wife, whom Estonia had denied asylum.

In spring 2026, Russian Federal Security Service officers detained an Estonian man in Vladimir, accusing him of attempting to join Ukraine's armed forces, according to iStories and Delfi. The FSB's Vladimir region directorate released a video featuring a masked man who identified himself as Artur Kirmjõe, a 30-year-old paramedic and former member of Estonia's Scout Battalion.

Kirmjõe stated he had visited Russia numerous times and had reached out to Ukrainian sources to inquire about joining their military. He claimed his newfound disdain for the Ukraine war motivated his actions. Kirmjõe, who had traveled to Russia to reunite with his estranged wife, Lina, was charged with mercenary activity and preparing to commit a crime.

If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison. Lina, denied asylum by Estonia in autumn 2022, returned to Russia in spring 2022, where Artur followed her. They married in 2024, planning to wait out a three-year ban on Lina's entry into Estonia before seeking official status. Kirmjõe was arrested in mid-April 2026, after returning to Russia from his visits with his wife.