Kathrine Frich
Yevgeny fiercely criticised Russian military leaders.
Yevgeny fiercely criticised Russian military leaders.
Ex-Wagner fighter crosses into Finland
Finnish authorities detained a Russian man named Yevgeny in June after he illegally crossed the border.
He later applied for asylum, saying he wanted to escape the war and find safety.
The case quickly drew attention because Yevgeny had once identified himself as a Wagner mercenary.
“Commanders left soldiers to rot in the fields”
In videos posted online, Yevgeny fiercely criticised Russian military leaders.
He accused commanders of abandoning their troops on the battlefield and deceiving families back home.
His comments painted a grim picture of life inside Russia’s ranks.
Service in a high-casualty unit
Yevgeny reportedly served as a company commander in the 433rd Motor Rifle Regiment.
This unit specialised in fast, aggressive assaults with light equipment, often suffering heavy losses.
Military expert Marko Eklund said such claims matched known Russian patterns of high sacrifice.
Wagner’s brutal methods
Yevgeny said he joined Russia’s forces in 2022 and trained with Wagner fighters.
He claimed to have fought in Bakhmut, where Wagner was accused of war crimes, including prisoner executions.
Analyst Eklund noted Wagner troops were motivated mainly by money, with many recruited from prisons.
Propaganda and violence combined
Eklund explained that violence was routine for Wagner units.
Prisoners were killed, deserters punished, and brutality was used as discipline.
For many fighters, propaganda videos and financial incentives replaced ideology.
Social media accusations continue
Despite fleeing Russia, Yevgeny remains active online.
In his posts, he accused commanders of lying to families about soldiers’ deaths to avoid paying compensation.
“If the army declares the dead as deserters, there is no need to pay their relatives,” Eklund explained.
Ukraine reviews possible war crimes
Ukraine’s embassy in Finland confirmed it was aware of Yevgeny’s arrest.
Ambassador Mykhailo Vidońyk said officials were reviewing video evidence of his activities.
“If his role in war crimes is proven, there will be no impunity,” he said, stressing close cooperation with European partners.
Legal paths in Finland
Professor Dan Helenius noted Finland could prosecute Yevgeny even for crimes committed abroad.
He said commanders can be held liable not only for their own actions but also for crimes committed by subordinates.
He compared the case to that of Voislav Torden, jailed for life earlier this year for war crimes in eastern Ukraine.
A difficult escape route
Yevgeny described his journey into Finland as harsh and unplanned.
He said he crawled under a border fence, walked 12–13 kilometres, and slept only four hours in 24.
The route, he said, was “terrible there were bears and rough terrain.”
From Russia to Paris, but plans changed
Yevgeny first hoped to reach France, where a friend had already fled.
Instead, he decided to stay in Finland and seek asylum there, despite knowing no one in the country.
“I just came looking for help where I could find asylum. I simply want to live and I don’t want war,” he said.
