Russia's FSB claims to have detained a German citizen who allegedly fought for Ukraine's armed forces (VSU). Russian state agencies Interfax and TASS, citing the FSB's Public Relations Center, reported that the individual deserted the Ukrainian army due to not receiving promised payments. The FSB released a video of the detainee.

According to the FSB, the detainee served as a sniper in a territorial defense unit of the VSU in 2016-2018 and returned to Ukraine in 2025 to sign a new contract. Radio Liberty found open-source publications indicating the individual served in a VSU unit with predominantly Georgian citizens in 2017 and participated in an event in Kyiv displaying a flag of Ichkeria. However, independent confirmation of German citizenship or participation in the full-scale war is lacking. The human rights organization Memorial reported that FSB officers stage detentions and force suspects to record confessions on camera, sometimes after torture.