Ukraine war Military court sentences possible Ukraine mercenary in Meilen ZH
The military court in Meilen ZH sentenced a suspected Ukraine mercenary to 18 months' imprisonment on Thursday. The sentence is conditional with a probationary period of four years.
18.12.2025, 09:15
18.12.2025, 15:56
SDA
With his statements in the "Rundschau", the 49-year-old showed that he was in foreign service, said the president of the court at the sentencing hearing. The contribution was made of his own free will. There was also further evidence such as Instagram pictures, media reports and a Europol list of possible mercenaries.
The verdict is not yet final and can be appealed to the Court of Cassation.
The auditor, the military counterpart to the public prosecutor, demanded an unconditional prison sentence of six months for the 49-year-old. Service in another army is prohibited for Swiss citizens. The defense lawyer demanded an acquittal for lack of evidence.
First trial against Ukraine mercenary
The man from Schaffhausen did not attend the trial. He is said to live in Israel. He also did not answer a questionnaire from the investigating judge. His mother testified in court that she had spoken to him on the phone the evening before. However, he had not wanted to reveal where he was.
According to his own statements, the accused fought for an international volunteer force alongside the Ukrainian army against Russia. According to the indictment, he is said to have served at least between February 2022 and December 2024. The trial was the first against an alleged Ukrainian mercenary in Switzerland.
