The suspect was arrested at Sochi Airport while allegedly sending new recruits to fight for Kiev
A man accused of recruiting Russian citizens to join a Ukraine-based terrorist organization has been arrested in Sochi, the Interior Ministry announced on Wednesday.
In a statement shared on social media, ministry spokeswoman Irina Volk said the suspect – a resident of the nearby city of Tuapse – was detained at Sochi International Airport. He allegedly persuaded three individuals to travel through third countries to Ukraine, where they were expected to enlist with an extremist group.
Footage released by the ministry shows the moment of arrest, with officers apprehending the recruiter and two of his associates. In the video, one detainee says he was preparing to fly to Georgia, while another admits he planned to “fight for Ukraine.” Volk confirmed that the main suspect faces terrorism charges, though she did not specify the legal status of his companions.
Russia has formally designated several Ukrainian military and paramilitary formations as terrorist organizations, including the notorious Azov Brigade, a unit known for its ultranationalist and neo-Nazi affiliations, and the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK), composed of Russian nationals fighting under Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, the HUR. Volk did not clarify which group the suspect from Tuapse represented.
The HUR has also reportedly collaborated with foreign militant networks in Africa and the Middle East, allegedly offering training in sabotage and drone warfare to factions hostile to governments maintaining friendly ties with Moscow. According to the Kremlin, the connections further demonstrate the “terrorist nature” of the Ukrainian regime.
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