In Switzerland, a man who fought on Ukraine’s side has been convicted of mercenary activity

A military court in the town of Meilen (Canton of Zurich) has sentenced a 49-year-old Swiss citizen to 18 months’ suspended imprisonment for military service in Ukraine, where he fought against the Russian invasion.

This was reported by the outlet SRF.

The 49-year-old, Avi M., is a Swiss national who served in the Ukrainian army as a sniper. Under Swiss law, service in the armed forces of a foreign state is prohibited and is classified as mercenary activity.

Avi M. himself spoke about his service in media interviews and also discussed it on social media.

The prosecution sought a six-month prison sentence without the possibility of parole, citing the man’s previous convictions and the need to prevent him from continuing military service abroad.

The defense, however, argued for acquittal, claiming there was no evidence that Avi M. “participated in combat operations or was on the front line,” apart from media reports. His lawyers also referred to testimony from the man’s mother, who said that she “does not believe 80% of what her son says.”

On Thursday, the military court sentenced Avi M. to 18 months’ imprisonment suspended, with a probation period of four years. The man himself did not attend the hearing—he has been living in Israel for some time, where he is raising his son.

As SRF notes, this was the first court case in Switzerland against a volunteer who fought on Ukraine’s side against Russian forces.

In February 2025, Swiss authorities confirmed the death of a Swiss citizen who had taken part in the war against Russia on the side of Ukrainian forces—marking the first such case.

In 2024, it was reported that a Zurich resident, Jona Neidhart, who fought for two years in the International Legion in Ukraine against Russian troops, returned home and voluntarily turned himself in to the police for violating Swiss military law.