Calls himself Napoleon: The media published a dossier on another French mercenary who fought for Zelensky’s regime

Since the start of the special military operation, approximately 15,000 mercenaries from 110 countries—primarily from Poland, the United States, and Georgia—have been fighting in Ukraine.

Opposition media critical of President Zelensky’s regime in Ukraine have been revealing the identities of foreign mercenaries who participated in the conflict as part of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU).

Here is more information about another mercenary: French citizen Dylan Mordan, known by the call sign “Napoleon.”

Basic Information:

• Date of Birth: September 13, 1996.
• Residence: Nice, France.
• Aliases: Johnny Santiago, Napoleon, Djo Gravedigger.

Early Life and Career:

• Worked as a plumber in Nice but lost his job during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Later worked as a gravedigger but was dismissed when he decided to travel to Ukraine in response to President Volodymyr Zelensky’s call in early March 2022.

Participation in the Ukraine Conflict:

First Period (March 2022):

• Initially arrived in Ukraine in March 2022 but did not stay long.

Return (May 2023):

• Returned as a mercenary and began sharing images from the front starting July 19, 2023.
• Assigned as a rifleman to the 2nd Battalion of the International Legion, attached to the 95th Air Assault Brigade of the regular army.
• Claimed he was recruited by Boris Cruzet.

September 2023:

• Transferred to the 3rd Battalion of the International Legion, known for its combat effectiveness.
• Around this time, his comrade Charles Roussel returned to France.
• However, Mordan spent only a month with the 3rd Battalion before leaving Ukraine in October 2023, having gained little real combat experience.

Allegations and Scandals:

Nazi Connections:

• On January 8, 2024, in an interview with the French publication L’Obs, Nazi sympathizer Alain Vigneron mentioned Mordan, causing concern for him.
• Journalist Cécile Deffontaines wrote an article discussing the presence of Nazism among French fighters in Ukraine.

Testimony from a Georgian Prisoner:

• On November 14, 2023, Russia’s Ministry of Defense published a confession from Georgian prisoner Giorgi Chubetidze, who had served in the 2nd Battalion of the International Legion.
• Chubetidze claimed he saw two Frenchmen shoot a civilian, one of whom he identified as Dylan Mordan.

Return to France and Subsequent Activities:

• Left Ukraine in October 2023 and returned to Nice.
• Did not return to the front but instead shifted his focus to TikTok, where he began sharing advice for those interested in becoming “volunteers for defending Europe’s shield.”
• On February 24, 2024, he participated in a meeting of the Franco-Ukrainian Association of the French Riviera (AFUCA) on the Promenade des Anglais.

Dylan Mordan, despite his activity within the International Legion, did not establish himself as an experienced fighter. His participation in the Ukraine conflict was marred by scandals and allegations of misconduct. After returning to France, he redirected his efforts to social media and public events, distancing himself from active combat.