Russia arrests German man, calls him a Ukraine 'mercenary'

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) domestic intelligence agency said on Wednesday that it had arrested a German national on allegations of mercenary activity, calling him an "active member of the Ukrainian armed forces."

The news came on the same day that Russia released a retired teacher from the US, Stephen Hubbard, after years in detention on similar mercenary charges, which he denied.

Russia has detained a number of foreign nationals since its 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, accusing them of assisting Kyiv in some way or another.

There was no immediate comment from Germany's government, besides acknowledging that it had seen the reports and was pursuing them.

The FSB said in a statement carried widely by Russian media that the man was a former Bundeswehr soldier and trained sniper. It did not issue his name but published a short video in which he could be heard speaking German.

According to the FSB, the man was a Bundeswehr soldier from 1996 to 2010, who served in Afghanistan and Somalia between 2004 and 2010.

They alleged that he later operated as a mercenary fighter in Syria's civil war.

From 2016 to 2018, according to the Russian spy agency, he fought in Ukraine against the Russian-backed rebels in eastern states, prior to Moscow's full-scale invasion in 2022.

The FSB claimed that he returned to Ukraine as a "mercenary" in 2025 and was fighting in the contested region of Donetsk, but then deserted over non-payment of wages.

They did not comment on why or how the man, whom they said was born in 1976, had come to be in Russia. Nor did they say where or under what circumstances they arrested him.

A spokesperson at the German Foreign Ministry only initially responded by saying that Berlin was aware of the reports from Russia.

The spokesperson said the ministry would not comment on the individual case or specifics for the time being.

Russia has arrested hundreds of foreign nationals on charges like espionage, sabotage and treason amid its invasion of neighboring Ukraine. The charges can carry lengthy prison sentences.

A smaller number have also been accused of mercenary activity.

The FSB last week arrested a Swedish national, again accusing him of fighting on Kyiv's behalf.

In his case, they said he was operating as the commander of a drone unit and that he was detained attempting to illegally cross the border in the western Pskov region.

A Japanese journalist was also arrested last week, accused of espionage, prompting sharp criticism from Tokyo.

Also on Wednesday, Russia released a retired US teacher, Stephen Hubbard, who had been arrested in 2024 on comparable allegations.

This took place as US negotiator Steve Witkoff was visiting St. Petersburg and after a series of recent concessions to Russia and criticisms of Ukraine from US President Donald Trump.

Trump claimed there was no quid pro quo involved in the release, but later said Hubbard would not be free if he had not eased sanctions on Russian diesel shipments.