Russia Places Former Ukrainian Defense Ministers Reznikov and Fedorov on International Wanted List

Russia's Investigative Committee has declared former Ukrainian Defense Ministers Oleksiy Reznikov and Mykhailo Fedorov internationally wanted. The announcement was made public on October 2, 2026, as part of Moscow's ongoing practice of placing Ukrainian officials on criminal wanted lists. Reznikov served as Ukraine's Defense Minister from November 2021 to September 2023, overseeing the country's armed forces during the critical early stages of the full-scale Russian invasion. Fedorov is a former Minister of Digital Transformation. The Russian action carries no practical legal weight internationally, as Ukraine and its Western allies do not recognize the legitimacy of such proceedings. Interpol, the international police organization, has repeatedly declined to distribute Russian red notices related to the war in Ukraine, deeming them politically motivated. Ukrainian officials have consistently dismissed similar moves by Moscow as propaganda tools rather than genuine law enforcement actions.