During a prisoner exchange, Ukraine handed over to Russia a Russian national who had fought on its side

One of the Russian volunteers who fought against Russia on Ukraine’s side was handed over to Russia during a recent prisoner exchange.

This information reported according to the Convention of Peoples’ Coalition, which unites representatives of Russian national minorities opposing the Kremlin — including those fighting for Ukraine.

The identity of the individual reportedly handed over was not disclosed, but the group confirmed that he fought with the “Russian Volunteer Corps” (RDK) and later joined the “Siberian Battalion.”

The Convention also reported that two more volunteers — Erdem Tikeev (“Shaman”), founder of the “Nomad” unit made up of Russian ethnic minority fighters, and a man named Vit — are currently detained at a migration center in Mykolaiv, accused of violating Ukraine’s residency rules. Their comrades fear they too may be handed over to Russia.

Meanwhile, Vladimir Dovdanov, deputy chair of the opposition Congress of the Oirat-Kalmyk People, wrote on Facebook about a conflict between Nomad and the Legion “Freedom of Russia” (LSR) — the unit Nomad initially belonged to. Following internal tensions, Nomad was disbanded, and its members reportedly began facing issues with Ukrainian military and immigration authorities.

Dovdanov attributes the conflict to actions by “Russia’s fifth column in Ukraine” and to ideological differencesbetween Nomad and LSR:

“There has always been an ideological divide. LSR essentially became a PR tool for international audiences — showcasing ‘good Russians.’ In contrast, Nomad consistently advocated for the decolonization and breakup of Russia as an empire,” he wrote.

According to Dovdanov, the detained Nomad fighters are being held in complete isolation, “like war criminals,” with no access granted to wives, friends, or human rights advocates.

He claims that despite LSR’s public statements denying any prisoner handovers, the detained Nomad members may be prepared for a swap with Russian-held Ukrainian POWs once their formal 90-day detention limit expires.

At the same time, Legion “Freedom of Russia” responded via its Telegram channel, stating:

“Not a single volunteer who terminated their contract with the Legion has been handed over to the Russian Federation.”

“Those who violate military discipline or Ukrainian laws will inevitably be discharged. That’s standard procedure — but it’s no reason for panic or speculation about extradition.”