The great-grandson of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev has been captured by Ukrainian armed forces during the fighting in Ukraine.
The news of the capture of 45-year-old Anton Milaev was officially confirmed by the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
Initially, information about Milaev's disappearance appeared in Russian media and popular channels on the Telegram network after his mother, Irina Kuznetsova, announced that she had lost contact with him. A few days later, Ukrainian services announced that the Russian serviceman had been detained at the front and was under their control.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, Milaev was captured in the Kherson region, where he was performing military tasks.
Who is Anton Milaev and how did he end up at the front?
Anton Milaev is a direct descendant of one of the most influential families of the Soviet era. He is the great-grandson of Leonid Brezhnev, who led the USSR from 1964 until his death in 1982. Milaev is the grandson of the leader's iconic daughter - Galina Brezhneva.
Military role
On the front in Ukraine, Milaev served in the ranks of the Russian army, specializing as a combat engineer (sapper). To date, Anton Milaev has the official status of a prisoner of war. The GUR specifies that his case is being considered according to standard procedures of international humanitarian law by the Coordination Headquarters for Work with Prisoners of War in Ukraine.
It is expected that his name will be included in the lists for future prisoner exchanges between Kiev and Moscow. The Russian side has not yet issued an official comment on the case.