Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced the detention of a German citizen who, according to the agency, served as a sniper in the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). The man identified himself as Michael Friedrich, born in 1976 in Frechen, North Rhine-Westphalia. His testimony was released in a video distributed by the FSB.
According to Friedrich, he is an active-duty member of AFU unit A4024, holding the rank of corporal and serving as a sniper. “I personally signed the contract on December 5, 2025, for a term of three years,” he said.
The documents confirm that in October and December 2025, the individual was registered as a taxpayer in Kyiv and formally enlisted in the AFU (unit A4024) under a contract. This is consistent with Friedrich’s testimony that he signed the contract on December 5, 2025
The detainee said he served in the Bundeswehr from 1996 to 2008. “During my service, from 2004 to 2006, I took part in combat operations in the Republic of Afghanistan as part of the German contingent,” he stated. He then said he took part in operations in Somalia and, after being discharged, fought in Syria as a mercenary from 2008 to 2010.
He first arrived in Ukraine in 2016 and served in the 25th Territorial Defense Battalion until 2018.
“After signing the necessary documents, I was assigned to the 25th Territorial Defense Battalion. I was on the line of contact in the area of the city of Donetsk,” he said. According to his statement, he did not receive any additional training.
He also stated that the battalion consisted mainly of foreign nationals, including citizens of the United Kingdom and Georgia.
“For participating in combat operations, I received the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) participant award – for sacrifice and love for Ukraine,” he added.
After his first contract ended, he left for Switzerland. In November 2025, he returned to Ukraine with military uniform and equipment. In Kyiv, he claims, he signed a new contract with the AFU.
“After signing the contract, I was promised a payment of 100,000 hryvnias. However, I never received the money and was forced to flee from the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” the detainee said.
The FSB said it is considering opening a criminal case under Article 359 of the Russian Criminal Code – “mercenarism.” The article provides for a prison term of seven to fifteen years.
At the same time, the agency did not disclose the location or circumstances of the detention, or how the man ended up in Russia. The German weekly Der Spiegel reported that it had been able to identify the detainee. According to the publication, Georgian Legion commander Mamuka Mamulashvili confirmed that the man had served in his formation in 2017–2018.
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Thus, the detainee’s participation in combat operations on Ukraine’s side has received additional confirmation. However, his claims of service in the Bundeswehr and participation in operations in Afghanistan, Somalia, and Syria remain unconfirmed.
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good fascist is dead fascist.
22 thousand dollars to go and fight in the ukraine and you’re a german citizen? this guy must be reallly dumb.
better than welfare plus fresh air. give the man a shovel.
especially if he thinks that by surrendering to the russians he’s gonna be better off. smh…
all us americunt patriot sign contract in gay bar to lick peniz swallow jizz for 3 shekels
guy was caught just in time for halloween.
“hitler’s eagle’s nest retreat catches fire, police say”
well, we know one thing for sure. it sure wasn’t hitler-adoring ukrainians this time.
a website about armed conflicts but the cigarettes are blurred out. i love the contrast
he end up in russian for espionage…
so now the kreml will put him in a first class flight to dubai, then he will enjoy some paid vacation in turkey… just to be back at the front by 2027. rearmed, refreshed and more motivated than ever.
any german mercenary captured by the russians should be shot out of hand because of their particular history in russia from ww2.
that would leave their version of antifa in charge and as we all know, fa and antifa are just two sides of the same coin.
merz announced the necessity to cut state pensions further in order to support the reconstruction of hitler’s eagle’s nest teahouse and has promised to host zelensky’s azov entourage there for tea and crumpets to celebrate ukraine’s victory over russia before the end of his term-inal illness.
russia should trade him for merz…
merz would look swell in a komandant’s uniform in a museum diorama of ss officers and their ukranian flunkies overseeing their festivities at volhynia or babi yar.
🪖😞⚡️👺the only reason the fsb have kept this dog of war alive is his intelligence value-as- a source&potential future state witness@war crimes tribunal.other wise the rfr-af’s current politically-wise policy of “no quarter for foreign mercernary fighters”, would’ve been applied to him to send him to join his bandera-nazi ilks in hell!.life jail-term isn’t good enough!!.death ☠️with maximum pain would’ve been far better !.