Russian Wagner Soldier Seeks Asylum in Finland

The Russian Wagner soldier Jevgenij is currently in custody with Finnish authorities, reports Yle. He is said to have sought asylum in the country but is suspected of crossing the border into Finland illegally.

A soldier from the Russian mercenary army, the Wagner Group, is in custody with Finnish authorities, according to information from Yle.

He was reportedly captured in northern Karelia in mid-June by the Finnish Border Guard.

The Finnish public service channel has found images and videos placing Jevgenij in eastern Ukraine. Videos have also been found where he talks about his participation in the war and criticizes Russia's defense forces.

Among other things, he accuses the leadership of giving soldiers criminal orders and leaving them to "rot in the fields" instead of evacuating them home. He claims they are then recorded as deserters.

• They knock on relatives' doors and say: "Your son was a deserter." How can they do that? To go to relatives and say such a thing when he is lying there rotting.

Has Now Sought Asylum in Finland

According to information from Yle, he has now sought asylum in Finland and is being investigated for border violations by Finnish authorities.

Currently, he is not being investigated for war crimes, but he is said to have acted as a soldier in Ukrainian areas where war crimes have been committed. He has also appeared in several Russian propaganda videos.

• Comrades, here we are walking in Selidovo. We have retaken the city for Russia. Make sure to fight as bravely as we do, he says in one of the video clips.

Both Russian and Ukrainian media sources indicate that the man has been a company commander in the Russian army.

The Wagner Group's influence over the Russian army has been limited since their failed coup attempt in the summer of 2023.

According to an expert in criminal and procedural law that Yle has spoken with, it is possible that Jevgenij could be extradited to Ukraine.