Anton Milaev, the adopted great-grandson of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, was reportedly captured by Ukrainian forces while serving in the Russian army, according to media reports.The claim was first reported by Russian Telegram channel Baza, known for its ties to the country’s security services, and was later cited by multiple Ukrainian media outlets.The 45-year-old reportedly joined the Russian army in the fall of 2025 as a sapper or combat engineer.Baza quoted Milaev’s mother Irina Kuznetsova as saying that the family lost contact with him last November. A few months later, they learned that he had been captured by Ukrainian forces and was being held in the Kherson region.
Ukrainian sources reportedly confirmed the capture
The report has not been independently verified and there was no official comment from Kyiv.However, a source in Ukraine’s military intelligence agency reportedly confirmed to BBC News Ukraine that Milaev has been detained by Ukraine.According to TVP World, sources at the headquarters for the coordination of the treatment of prisoners of war in Ukraine also confirmed the capture to investigative media Babel.Milaev is the adopted grandson of Leonid Brezhnev’s daughter Galina Brezhneva.According to RBC Ukraine, Galina raised him as her own son.His name also appears on Myrotvorets, a controversial Ukrainian online database that lists individuals deemed “enemies of Ukraine.”The database describes him as “the great-grandson of Secretary General Leonid Brezhnev” and notes that he has volunteered to fight in Russia’s 2025 war, The Telegraph reported.
Who is 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 was associated with a period of political and economic stagnation known as the “zastoi”.Brezhnev was born in what is now Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region and is officially listed as ethnic Ukrainian in several legal documents, including his passport.Brezhnev’s tenure also included the 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, which suppressed 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 exchange still uncertain
The circumstances of Milaev’s arrest remain unclear, and there is no information on whether he could be included in a future prisoner exchange.Kiev and Moscow have recently conducted a number of prisoner exchanges, including within the framework of “thousands for thousands”. Earlier this month, Ukraine and Russia completed another phase of large-scale exchanges, with the return of 185 Ukrainian military personnel and one civilian.Ukrainian President Zelensky said in February that there were more than 4,000 Russian prisoners of war held in Ukraine, while about 7,000 Ukrainians were still being held in Russian custody.He reiterated on Friday that Kyiv remains ready for a “comprehensive” prisoner exchange, but Russia has so far rejected the offer.
Despite diplomatic efforts, war continues
The capture reportedly comes as fighting continues on multiple fronts between Russia and Ukraine.Russian airstrikes on Saturday caused civilian casualties in several Ukrainian cities, including Kharkiv, Sumy and Zaporozhye.Meanwhile, Ukraine has stepped up long-range drone attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, including oil facilities in Crimea and southern Russia.The war has entered its fifth year with no immediate end in sight as diplomatic efforts remain stalled and both sides continue to attack each other.
