Latvian activist sent to fight in Ukraine after moving to Russia
The gist
Latvian Russian Union activist Sergey Mulivanov, 59, was sent to the troops on Oct 30, relatives say.
His family says he was tricked into a military contract while jailed on fraud charges.
How it unfolded
- 2024Mulivanov moved to Russia because he disagreed with Latvia's policies, settled in the Moscow region and obtained Russian citizenship.
- 2025Mulivanov claimed to have personally taken part in recruiting Latvian residents to fight in the war against Ukraine.
- Apr 2026He was detained and charged with fraud; the Zyuzino District Court of Moscow arrested him on suspicion of "dropper" activity — using bank accounts to transfer illegally obtained money.
Key terms
- Latvian Russian Union
- A political party in Latvia supported mainly by ethnic Russians and other Russian-speaking minorities.
- dropper
- A person who transfers illegally obtained money on behalf of others, often recruited unknowingly.
- pretrial detention
- Holding an arrested and charged person in custody until their trial.
Source: Wikipedia