Reports: Ukraine may have captured Brezhnev's great-grandson
Russian military Telegram channels claim that Ukrainian forces have captured Anton Milayev, the great-grandson of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, who served as a sapper. The information remains unconfirmed by official sources.
Russian military Telegram channels are circulating reports that Ukrainian armed forces have captured Anton Milayev, allegedly the great-grandson of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. The 45-year-old man joined the Russian army as a sapper last fall and went to fight in Ukraine. He stopped contacting relatives in November.
Milayev's mother, Irina Kuznetsova, told media that only several months after her son's disappearance she learned he was alive and in Ukrainian-controlled territory in the Kherson region. However, Ukrainian officials have not publicly commented on this information, and independent sources have not been able to verify the reports.
It is worth noting that there is no blood relationship between Brezhnev and Milayev. Brezhnev's daughter Galina officially adopted Anton's father, Alexander, who was her husband's son from a previous marriage. Thus, Milayev is considered Brezhnev's great-grandson only legally.
The reports of Milayev's capture come amid ongoing prisoner exchanges between Ukraine and Russia. In early June, the latest exchange took place, with 185 soldiers and one civilian returning to Ukraine. In recent months, both sides have repeatedly mentioned preparing for larger exchanges, including discussing a "1000 for 1000" formula.
