General 24 criminal proceedings against Swiss citizens have been initiated by the military justice authorities in Switzerland on suspicion of participation in the military operations in Ukraine.
The cases are mainly related to individuals who have defected to the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) within the framework of the Foreign Legion. According to official data, the investigations aim to establish whether the strict law prohibiting Swiss citizens from serving in foreign armies has been violated.
The topic has gained wide public attention after the first effective and suspended sentences for such acts became a fact. Information about the legal actions was confirmed by the Swiss public media SRF (srf.ch) and cited by a number of European analysts.
Convictions and real risks on the front line
The investigations are not just a formality, but are already leading to real court decisions:
First sentence: The local military court in Maylen sentenced 49-year-old sniper Avi M. to 18 months of suspended imprisonment. The evidence included his personal media appearances and social media posts. Voluntary surrender: In another landmark case, 36-year-old former teacher from Zurich, Jona Neidhart, returned to Bern after two years at the front and voluntarily surrendered to the police, openly stating that he stood by his decision to defend Ukraine. Deaths: The Federal Foreign Office in Bern (eda.admin.ch) has now confirmed the first official case of a Swiss citizen dying during the fighting in Ukraine.
Why is Bern punishing volunteers?
Unlike most Western European countries, Switzerland applies an extremely strict legal framework regarding military neutrality. Any form of service for a foreign power, without the express permission of the Federal Council, is considered a criminal offense under the country's Military Penal Code. The law provides for a penalty of a fine of up to 3 years in prison for anyone who engages in a foreign conflict, whether it involves combat operations or humanitarian support within a foreign army.
An additional security challenge has been the revelations of pro-Russian websites that published personal data of Swiss citizens who registered on Ukrainian online volunteer platforms. According to reports by the international information platform SWI swissinfo (swissinfo.ch), some of the victims have received serious threats to their lives, although some of them never physically reached the battlefield.
The number of cases being investigated is expected to continue to grow as Swiss authorities coordinate their lists with intelligence from partner agencies in Europe.