T-shirt bearing the logo of private mercenary group Wagner as it is displayed in a gift shop in Moscow. Photo: Alexander Nemenov / AFP / Lehtikuva
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A former Wagner Group fighter who fled Russia is in Finnish custody after illegally crossing the eastern border near Kitee and applying for asylum. The man, identified as Yevgeny, is being held in a temporary immigration detention centre while authorities examine his background and possible involvement in war crimes.
The Finnish Border Guard apprehended Yevgeny on 17 June in the Välivaara area of North Karelia. The location is forested and not covered by a border fence. Border guards detected the crossing through sensor alarms and detained the man shortly after he entered Finnish territory.
According to Finnish media outlet Yle, Yevgeny previously served as a company commander in Russia’s 433rd Motorised Rifle Regiment and received combat training from the Wagner Group. He has publicly admitted to fighting in eastern Ukraine, including in Bakhmut and Selydove, areas where Wagner has been accused of war crimes such as executing prisoners of war.
Yevgeny, who defected to Finland, has stated on social media that he fought in Bakhmut, among other places. Photo: Telegram
Social media accounts linked to Yevgeny contain videos and photos showing him in combat gear with Wagner insignia. In recent months, he has posted material sharply criticising Russia’s military leadership, accusing commanders of abandoning soldiers and denying death benefits to the families of the dead.
“The dead are labelled as deserters so that no compensation has to be paid,” Yevgeny said in a video posted on the Russian social network VKontakte on 30 June. According to Yle, the video was recorded after his arrival in Finland.
Marko Eklund, a retired Finnish military officer and expert in Russian armed forces, told Yle that Yevgeny’s account of brutal conditions and mistreatment within Russian military ranks is consistent with other documented reports.
“The Russian army has a long history of tolerating extreme losses and offering little regard for its own soldiers. Wagner’s tactics intensified that culture,” Eklund said.
Yevgeny has not spoken publicly since being detained, but Finnish authorities confirmed that he has requested international protection. The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has opened a preliminary inquiry to determine whether there is evidence of war crimes. As of now, Yevgeny is not suspected of criminal offences in Finland.
The Ukrainian Embassy in Finland has confirmed that it is reviewing evidence related to Yevgeny’s battlefield activity. Ambassador Mykhailo Vydoinyk told Yle that Ukrainian authorities are examining videos and social media content for potential grounds to request extradition.
“If war crimes are confirmed, there can be no impunity,” Vydoinyk said. “We are cooperating closely with European partners in tracking Wagner operatives.”
Yevgeny’s case draws comparisons to Voislav Torden, also known as Jan Petrovsky, a former commander in the Wagner-linked Rusich unit. Torden was sentenced to life in prison by a Finnish court in March 2025 for war crimes committed in Ukraine in 2014, including the execution of prisoners. Although Ukraine requested Torden’s extradition, Finnish courts declined over human rights concerns and tried him domestically.
Legal experts say Finland is able to prosecute war crimes committed abroad under international law, especially if the individual held a command position.
“Under Finnish and international law, commanders are criminally responsible not only for direct actions but also for the actions of subordinates if they failed to prevent or punish violations,” said Dan Helenius, professor of criminal and procedural law.
He noted that the outcome of the NBI’s inquiry will determine whether a full criminal investigation is launched or whether the case proceeds solely through asylum channels.
Yevgeny was previously convicted of robbery in Russia in 2023 and sentenced to six years in prison. He was later recruited by Wagner under a programme offering convicts release in exchange for military service in Ukraine.
Wagner’s ranks were bolstered by thousands of such recruits during 2022–2023. The group suffered significant losses in the battle for Bakhmut, where Ukrainian and international observers estimate as many as 20,000 Wagner fighters were killed.
After Wagner’s failed rebellion in June 2023, its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin died in a plane crash later that summer. Wagner’s remaining forces were absorbed into various Russian military structures, including the National Guard and Chechen units.
Ukrainian intelligence has said Wagner veterans remain of high interest in prisoner swaps. In Moldova, seven Wagner operatives were recently detained as part of international tracking efforts.
The Finnish authorities expect to conclude their preliminary investigation in early autumn. If evidence warrants, a formal war crimes probe or an extradition process may follow.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
