SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) – Police in North Macedonia have arrested a Macedonian citizen suspected of wanting to join the Russian army and fight in Ukraine, according to the country’s Interior Ministry.
This is the first case of a Macedonian citizen to be charged with this special crime.
The man, identified only by his initials JK, was arrested late Friday and a judge ordered him to be held in jail for 30 days. The man was accused of “participating with a foreign military, police, militia or police force.” If convicted, he faces up to three years in prison.
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The ministry said the suspect contacted a person on the Internet who identified himself as being employed by the Russian military to recruit soldiers for a payment of 3,000 euros. Eager to join the newly formed army, the suspect flew to Moscow in October.
After returning to North Macedonia a week later the suspect was interrogated upon arrival at Skopje airport. The police said he told the people who were questioning him to “sign a contract for the service of the Russian army and take him to the training center where he will be trained to fight in Ukraine.”
Police said they entered the suspect’s home late Friday and seized the documents.
As a NATO member since 2020, North Macedonia has imposed sanctions on the Russian Federation. The previous leftist government provided military equipment to Ukraine.
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