A 33-year-old Danish man has filed a lawsuit against the Russian Ministry of Defense, claiming he was misled into participating in the war in Ukraine. According to multiple media reports, including TV 2, he signed a one-year service contract in Ukraine without fully understanding its implications, as the document was in Russian—a language he does not speak.

The man’s lawyer, Roman Petrov, stated that his client seeks to have the contract annulled. In a written statement to TV 2, the man explained that he found Russia’s developments and values more appealing than those of Europe, which is why he moved to Russia in the summer of 2023. When his residence permit expired in October of the same year, he attempted to extend it, but the process was prolonged.

Consequently, he approached a military office to acquire Russian citizenship through military service, without intending to be sent to the front line. The man had hoped to become a border guard or work as a translator but later realized that the contract solely pertained to deployment in a war zone. He had understood that positions within the military could vary, including more peacekeeping roles. The 33-year-old stated to TV 2 that he was not familiar with the Russian system and believed he would be performing different military tasks.

His case was dismissed by the initial military court but is now expected to be reviewed again in an appeal scheduled for August 22, according to his attorney. The man hopes for a favorable outcome in the upcoming court review.