Russian Trial Targets 50-Year-Old Helsinki Resident Over Service in Ukrainian Forces and Mercenary Charges

The Story of Mikael

According to Рубрика — Суспільство: A 50-year-old man of Russian descent living in Helsinki voluntarily enlisted in the Ukrainian military following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Serving as a liaison between foreign fighters and Ukrainian troops, his fluency in both Finnish and Russian helped him integrate effectively. He returned to Finland in late winter 2025, but shortly afterward, Ukrainian authorities launched an investigation concerning financial matters and imported vehicles linked to him.

A Journey to Africa

In spring 2025, Mikael joined a group of about ten men-mostly Finnish veterans of the Ukrainian conflict-heading to Sierra Leone. Their initial plan was to work as security personnel at a gold mine. However, after several months most members left the country. Mikael and an Italian named Paolo continued on to Burkina Faso seeking employment in the mining sector. Upon arrival at a hotel there, both were detained by unidentified individuals, handcuffed, and blindfolded.

The Burkina Faso military junta, known to receive Russian support, quickly learned of their participation in the Ukraine war. Paolo spent around three months imprisoned before being released with assistance from the Italian embassy, while Mikael remained in custody. In November 2025, Finland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs contacted Burkina Faso authorities to inquire about Mikael’s whereabouts, only to be told he was not present in the country. Later that autumn, Mikael was extradited to Russia where he faces mercenary charges.

Mikael’s trial in Russia lasted nearly two months. Under Russian law, mercenary activity carries a prison sentence ranging from 7 to 15 years. Details about the final verdict or sentence remain undisclosed. He is currently incarcerated in a prison in Samara. Meanwhile, Finnish authorities-including the police, Security Intelligence Service, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs-are investigating the case and searching for the missing man, though no evidence of wrongdoing has yet been uncovered.

Relatives in Finland appealed to the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs for assistance while Mikael was detained in Burkina Faso. However, the Finnish government did not formally request his repatriation. It is crucial to note that Mikael does not hold Finnish citizenship. Born in the Soviet Union, he resided in Finland under a residence permit and traveled to Burkina Faso using a Finnish-issued alien’s passport with stateless status. He remains a Russian citizen, and Finnish officials suspect he provided false information about lacking a Russian passport. In Russia, he was prosecuted as a foreign national; without official recognition of his citizenship, he might otherwise have faced charges of treason.

This case highlights the complex legal challenges faced by stateless individuals involved in conflict zones. The absence of clear legal protections can result in severe consequences, as seen with Mikael, whose attempt to forge a new path led to entanglement in a web of international legal disputes.