Anton Milaev, the adopted great-grandson of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, has reportedly been captured by Ukrainian forces while serving in the Russian military, according to media reports.The claim was first reported by Baza, a Russian Telegram channel known for its links to the country’s security services, and was later cited by several Ukrainian outlets.According to reports, the 45-year-old joined the Russian army as a sapper, or combat engineer, in the autumn of 2025.Baza reported, citing Milaev’s mother Irina Kuznetsova, that the family lost contact with him in November last year. Months later, they were informed that he had been captured by Ukrainian forces and was being held in the Kherson region.
Capture reportedly confirmed by Ukrainian sources
The report has not been independently verified and there has been no official comment from Kyiv.However, a source in Ukraine’s military intelligence agency reportedly confirmed to BBC News Ukraine that Milaev was in Ukrainian custody.According to TVP World, sources within Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War also confirmed the capture to investigative outlet Babel.Milaev is the adopted grandson of Galina Brezhneva, the daughter of Leonid Brezhnev.He was raised by Galina as her own son, as per RBC Ukraine.His name has also appeared on Myrotvorets, a controversial Ukrainian online database that lists individuals considered “enemies of Ukraine”.The database describes him as the “great-grandson of secretary general Leonid Brezhnev” and states that he voluntarily joined Russia’s war effort in 2025, according to The Telegraph.
Who was Leonid Brezhnev?
Leonid Brezhnev served as general secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1964 until his death in 1982.His 18-year rule was one of the longest in Soviet history and became associated with a period of political and economic stagnation known as “zastoi”.Brezhnev was born in what is now Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region and was officially listed as ethnically Ukrainian in several legal documents, including his passport.Brezhnev’s tenure also included the 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, which crushed the Prague Spring reform movement and led to the formulation of the so-called Brezhnev Doctrine, under which Moscow justified intervention in Eastern Bloc countries to preserve Soviet influence.
Prisoner exchanges remain uncertain
The circumstances surrounding Milaev’s capture remain unclear, and there is no information on whether he could be included in a future prisoner exchange.Kyiv and Moscow have recently conducted several prisoner swaps, including exchanges under the “1,000-for-1,000” framework. Earlier this month, Ukraine and Russia completed another stage of a large-scale exchange that saw the return of 185 Ukrainian servicemen and one civilian.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in February that more than 4,000 Russian prisoners of war were being held in Ukraine, while around 7,000 Ukrainians remained in Russian captivity.He reiterated on Friday that Kyiv remained ready for an “all-for-all” prisoner exchange, a proposal Russia has so far rejected.
War continues despite diplomatic efforts
The reported capture comes as fighting between Russia and Ukraine continues across multiple fronts.Russian strikes on Saturday killed and wounded civilians in several Ukrainian cities, including Kharkiv, Sumy and Zaporizhzhia.Ukraine, meanwhile, has intensified long-range drone attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, including oil facilities in Crimea and southern Russia.As diplomatic efforts remain stalled and both sides continue exchanging attacks, the war has entered its fifth year with no immediate end in sight.
