North Macedonia arrests man for attempting to join Russian army

Police in North Macedonia have arrested a Macedonian national suspected of planning to join the Russian army to fight in Ukraine, the country’s Interior Ministry announced.

This marks the first instance of a Macedonian citizen facing charges under this specific offense. North Macedonia, a NATO member since 2020, has imposed sanctions on Russia.

Authorities identified the man by his initials, J.K., and detained him late on Nov. 29, according to the Associated Press. An investigative judge ordered him to remain under house arrest for 30 days. He faces charges of "participating in a foreign army, police, paramilitary or parapolice formation."

If convicted, the man could receive a minimum sentence of three years.

According to the ministry, the suspect communicated online with an individual who claimed to be recruiting soldiers for the Russian army, offering compensation of 3,000 euros. The suspect expressed willingness to join a newly formed detachment and traveled to Moscow in October.

Upon returning to North Macedonia a week later, the suspect underwent questioning at Skopje airport. During the interrogation, he admitted plans to "sign a contract for work in the Russian army and be taken to a training camp where he would be trained to fight in Ukraine."

Police searched the man’s home on Nov. 29 and confiscated documentation related to the case.

Putin signs law allowing criminal defendants to join the military

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law on Oct. 2 that exempts defendants from criminal liability if they join the Russian army, according to Russia’s legal information portal.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova

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