Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
Imagine cooming back from being a prisoner of war and then that happens?
Imagine coming back from being a prisoner of war and then that happens?
What is happening?
Pavel Guguyev, a Russian soldier recently returned from Ukrainian captivity, has been sentenced to four years in a penal colony.
The reason? Speaking out.
Shared “confidential information”
Independent outlet Mediazona, reporting from exile, says Moscow’s court found Guguyev guilty of sharing “confidential information” with foreign nationals after giving interviews to a Ukrainian blogger.
The thing is, that it was hardly “confidential information” he actually shared.
Said what the rest of the world already knows
While held as a prisoner of war, Guguyev gave an interview to Ukrainian blogger Dmitry Karpenko.
In the widely circulated video, he spoke candidly about the severe losses Russian troops had faced in Ukraine.
His comments quickly drew international attention — and, apparently, scrutiny back home.
From convict to soldier on the frontlines
Before joining the war in Ukraine, Guguyev was serving a 12-year sentence for murder, assault, and theft in a high-security prison.
Two years before his release, he signed a contract with the Russian military — a move increasingly common as Russia recruits inmates for combat roles.
Speaking out again after his release
Guguyev didn’t stay silent for long. After returning to Russia in a prisoner exchange, he sat down for a second interview with Karpenko in July 2023.
In it, he reiterated his criticism of Russian military leadership and said officials had pressured him to claim his first interview was coerced.
A swift arrest and harsh charges
Authorities arrested Guguyev in June 2024 and placed him in pretrial detention.
According to Mediazona, court documents show he was accused of “cooperation regarding confidential information” with a foreign citizen — a charge linked directly to his interviews.
Conviction and sentencing
In October 2025, a Moscow court sentenced Guguyev to four more years in prison, this time in a penal colony.
While some see the move as a crackdown on dissent, especially from returning POWs, the Russian government has made no public comment on the case.
The blogger behind the interviews
Dmitry Karpenko, the Ukrainian blogger who conducted both interviews, has built a following by speaking with captured Russian soldiers.
His interviews often provide rare insights into Russia’s war effort, but they also place his subjects at serious risk once they return home.
Silencing dissenting voices
Guguyev’s case highlights a broader pattern in Russia: soldiers and former prisoners who contradict official narratives face harsh consequences.
Speaking out — even from the battlefield or in captivity — can result in further punishment once back on Russian soil.
Prisoner swaps with lasting consequences
Although prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine continue, what happens to returnees like Guguyev sheds light on deeper issues.
Rather than being welcomed home, some are watched, silenced, or prosecuted — especially if they contradict the Kremlin’s version of events.
This article is made and published by Jens Asbjørn Bogen, which may have used AI in the preparation
