Russian Pro-War Blogger Egor Guzenko Wanted for Desertion From Ukraine Frontline

Prominent Russian pro-war military blogger Egor Guzenko, known by his callsign “Thirteenth,” has been declared wanted by Russian authorities after fleeing his frontline position in Ukraine, The Moscow Times reported on July 6.

Official wanted notices state that Guzenko is being sought for the unauthorized abandonment of his military unit and evading military service duties. On the same day, a statement on Guzenko’s Telegram channel indicated that he would remain out of contact for approximately two weeks.

Guzenko has a documented history of public dissent against the Kremlin’s management of the war. The Moscow Times noted that the blogger previously criticized Russian leader Vladimir Putin and called for full national mobilization alongside the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons.

In late 2024, Guzenko was arrested in his native Stavropol region for allegedly assaulting a public official. To secure his release from pre-trial detention, he signed an operational contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense to deploy directly to the frontline in Ukraine.

Controversy surrounding the blogger intensified in April 2026 when Guzenko openly rebuked Putin over localized military mobile internet blackouts, after which his channel administrators reported he had been assigned to high-casualty frontline assault units, The Moscow Times wrote. Tensions escalated further in May following the online leak of a video showing Guzenko intoxicated on duty and admitting to misleading his superiors.

Read more

Category

War in Ukraine

Ukraine Advances on Two Fronts as Russia Throws Rear Units Into Assaults, ISW Reports

Jun 10, 2026 13:12

Guzenko claimed the footage was archival and weaponized against him due to an ongoing political feud with Chechen “Akhmat” special forces commander Apti Alaudinov, while maintaining that his superiors weren’t “sending him to die” and assigned him only manageable tasks based on his health.

This situation follows a recent investigation regarding the deployment of Akhmat forces. It states that Alaudinov stationed at least 12 of his relatives in the Vakha Battalion, a rear unit located in the Belgorod region, away from active combat.

According to the reports, while Alaudinov publicly calls for citizens to deploy to the front lines, his own relatives serve in a rear facility equipped with household amenities. Independent monitors attributed low casualty rates within Akhmat formations to these rear deployments, a practice that has drawn criticism from regular Russian military personnel.

Truth is Under Attack

We report the war as it unfolds directly from the people and places most affected by it. Your support helps us bring these stories to the world.

SUPPORT