Russian Army Veteran Detained in Volyn on Treason Suspicion

Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) and prosecutors have detained a woman from the Donetsk region in Volyn who fought against Ukraine as part of the Russian forces but tried to return to Ukraine to renew her foreign passport so she could travel to Germany.

The 50-year-old Donetsk native, who rose to the rank of sergeant in the Russian army, was exposed at the Domanove international vehicle checkpoint as she tried to enter Ukraine from Belarus. Before the full-scale invasion she worked as a nurse at a regional clinical psychiatric hospital.

Service in the Russian army

In February 2022 she voluntarily joined the Russian army and was enlisted in a rifle company of the 91st separate rifle regiment of the 1st Army Corps of the 8th Combined Arms Army of Russia's Southern Military District. During service she reached the rank of sergeant, followed orders from the Russian command and, until August 2024, took part in combat near settlements in the Kherson and Donetsk regions. After leaving the Russian army she lived in temporarily occupied territory. In 2026 she arrived in Volyn, where she was detained.

A search found Russian passports and military documents, a military ID of the so-called "DPR," a combatant's certificate, a Russian bank card, Russian and Belarusian money and other physical evidence.

Charges

Under the procedural supervision of the Volyn specialized prosecutor's office in the sphere of defence of the Western region, the woman was served a notice of suspicion of treason committed under martial law. The court ordered her held in custody without the option of bail. The offence carries 15 years in prison or life imprisonment with confiscation of property. The pre-trial investigation and operational support are being carried out by the SBU directorate in the Volyn region.

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