Russian officer charged over surrender to Ukraine
As noted by 'Mediazona' on August 14, a criminal case has been filed with the Second Western District Military Court against 30-year-old Vladislav Balgrabsky, who is accused not only of state treason but also of voluntary surrender to the enemy, desertion, and incitement against the state.
Consensus
- Vladislav Balggrabsky is a 30-year-old Russian military officer who served in the 7th Motorized Rifle Regiment.
- He surrendered to Ukrainian forces in 2025 along with five subordinates.
- He was charged in Russia with treason, voluntary surrender, desertion, and incitement against the state.
- An interview with Balggrabsky was published by the Ukrainian project 'Butusov Plus' on April 3, 2025.
- The interview was recorded in April 2025 and featured Balggrabsky describing his decision to surrender due to an impossible order.
- Balggrabsky stated he wanted to survive and protect his soldiers, and urged other Russian soldiers to surrender.
- A court document showing a detention extension for Balggrabsky appeared in December 2025.
- He was likely returned to Russia via a prisoner exchange between April and December 2025.
- The Moscow Garrison Military Court extended his detention twice after December 2025.
- The case is being handled by the 2nd Western Military District Court in Russia.
Points of divergence
- Balggrabsky was likely released through a prisoner exchange after surrendering. — tg_radiosvoboda
- The video interview with Balggrabsky received over 990,000 views. — meduza
- The first conviction under the 'voluntary surrender' article was handed down in April 2025 to Sergeant Roman Ivanyshin. — meduza
- Balggrabsky believed his contract was indefinite due to mobilization, despite initially thinking it would last one year. — mediazona
- The article on voluntary surrender was introduced into the Russian Criminal Code in 2022 after the full-scale invasion. — meduza
Coverage (3 sources)
- Participant of Russian invasion of Ukraine, who decided to surrender with subordinates and was subsequently, probably, released in exchange... — Радио Свобода
- In Moscow, Russian officer who surrendered to Ukrainian forces is tried. Ukraine returned him to Russia as part of an exchange — Meduza
- In Moscow, a regiment commander who surrendered with five soldiers began to be tried on treason charges — Медиазона