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Russian Veteran Who Warned Putin of Military Mutiny Arrested After Calling for Kremlin Meeting
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Russian authorities have detained former volunteer fighter Alexander Lunin for 11 days after he publicly appealed to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, alleging abuse of Russian soldiers and warning of a possible military revolt if his concerns were ignored.
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According to Deutsche Welle on June 28, Lunin disappeared after traveling to Moscow, while police also searched his home in Russia’s Voronezh region and seized electronic devices.
According to Deutsche Welle, a message published on Lunin’s Telegram channel by a person identifying himself as a family acquaintance said Lunin’s wife had confirmed he was “held administratively” for 11 days. The reason for the detention has not been disclosed.
Before news of his detention emerged, Lunin’s wife released a video stating that police searched their home overnight in the village of Lizinovka, Voronezh region.
She said officers confiscated computers, laptops, flash drives, and other electronic equipment while Lunin was already traveling to Moscow. She later deleted the video and subsequently wrote on VKontakte that her husband was “alive and well,” asking the public not to comment further.
Lunin, 39, drew widespread attention after publishing a video address to Putin on June 25. In the recording, he accused Russian military commanders of torturing and abusing soldiers who refused to carry out what he described as “stupid suicidal orders” or surrender their money.
He warned that unless he was granted a meeting with the Russian president and allowed to speak on national television, “the army will turn its weapons against the Kremlin.”
The video reportedly received around 12 million views within 24 hours. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged that the presidential administration was aware of the appeal but said officials had “not yet had time to familiarize themselves with it.”
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Following the video’s publication, Lunin said he was not calling for a coup but was attempting to relay information about conditions within the Russian military. According to Deutsche Welle, he claimed unnamed representatives of Russia’s Defense Ministry and security services had encouraged him to raise the issue publicly.
Lunin, formerly known as Alexander Pustovalov, served as a reconnaissance commander in the Sudoplatov volunteer battalion, a Russian unit established in temporarily occupied Melitopol in late 2022. He has also said he fought in Russia’s Kursk region and suffered a concussion during his service.
The detention comes days after Lunin began collecting testimonies from Russian servicemen about alleged abuse by military commanders, saying he intended to present the evidence to Russia’s leadership.
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