A 33-year-old Danish man who served with the Russian military in the war against Ukraine has had his contract with the Russian army annulled by a military court in Moscow, as reported on Thursday. Roman Petrov, the lawyer representing the Danish citizen, informed Danish media outlets DR and Ekstra Bladet that the decision followed an earlier ruling that had been overturned.
The Danish man, who is currently located in the Luhansk region, initiated legal actions against the Russian Ministry of Defense. He argued that he was misled into participating in the conflict. Last October, he signed a contract that sent him to Ukraine without fully understanding the terms, as the contract was written in Russian—a language he does not speak proficiently.
According to TV 2, the man moved to Russia in the summer of 2023, stating that he preferred the country’s development and values over those of Europe. After his residence permit expired in October, he sought to extend it and contacted Russian authorities. As the process dragged on, he sought a quicker resolution by applying for Russian citizenship through military service. His intention was not to be deployed to a combat zone, yet he ultimately found himself in such a situation.
He explained to TV 2 that he believed he would be working in peacekeeping roles or as a security guard, stemming from a misunderstanding of the Russian military’s system. It was only later that he discovered the contract specifically applied to combat zones.
Previously, his case was dismissed; however, during an appeal hearing on Thursday, the court ruled in his favor, leading to the annulment of his contract. According to his lawyer, the Danish man is expected to leave his unit in Luhansk in the coming days.