Anton Milaev, 45, has been reported by Russian outlets and the Myrotvorets database as captured while fighting in Kherson. Baza, citing his mother, says he joined the Russian army as a sapper in autumn 2025 and later lost contact with family. Kyiv has not issued an official confirmation, although a Ukrainian intelligence source and a defence adviser told BBC News Ukraine they believed he was in custody. President Zelensky has reiterated Kyiv’s call for an “all‑for‑all” prisoner swap, which Russia has declined.
Brezhnev’s Great‑Grandson Reportedly Captured in Kherson While Fighting for Russia
Anton Milaev is the adopted grandson of Galina Brezhneva, who was the daughter of Leonid Brezhnev, the Soviet leader, pictured - Laski Diffusion/Getty Images
Russian media and online sources report that Anton Milaev, a 45‑year‑old relative of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, has been captured while fighting in the Kherson region of Ukraine. The claim has circulated across Russian Telegram channels and a Ukrainian online database, but independent verification remains limited.
What has been reported
The Telegram channel Baza — known for links to Russian security services — said Milaev joined the Russian army as a sapper (combat engineer) in autumn 2025 and that he lost contact with his family by November. Baza quoted his mother, Irina Kuznetsova, as saying she was later informed that Ukrainian forces had taken her son into custody in Kherson.
His name also appears on Myrotvorets, an online database run by anonymous operators that lists people it considers threats to Ukraine. The Myrotvorets entry describes Milaev as the “great‑grandson of Secretary General Leonid Brezhnev,” states he had contracted with the Russian Federation in autumn 2025, and cites Baza in saying he was “taken prisoner.”
Verification and official statements
None of the reports has been independently verified. Kyiv has not issued an official public statement about Milaev. However, BBC News Ukraine reported that a source in Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence confirmed Milaev had been taken into custody, and Serhii Sternenko, an adviser to the defence ministry, publicly posted about the alleged capture. Moscow typically does not publicise the identities of its personnel captured in the conflict.
It was alleged that Mr Milaev’s mother had received news that Ukrainian soldiers had captured her son - t.me/bazabazon
A photo on Milaev’s Vkontakte page reportedly showed his call sign as “luck.”
Wider context
President Volodymyr Zelensky said in February that more than 4,000 Russian service members were being held in Ukraine, while around 7,000 Ukrainians were detained in Russia. Kyiv has repeatedly proposed an “all‑for‑all” prisoner exchange; Russia has so far rejected such overtures.
Who was Leonid Brezhnev?
Leonid Brezhnev was General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1964 until his death in 1982. Born in Kamianske (then in the Dnipropetrovsk region, now in Ukraine), Brezhnev’s long rule — often associated with the period known as zastoi (stagnation) — remains a notable chapter in Soviet history. In the 2010s some observers compared aspects of Vladimir Putin’s tenure to Brezhnev’s long rule, particularly in discussions about governance and political continuity.
Takeaway
The reports that Anton Milaev — described as a descendant of Leonid Brezhnev — was captured in Kherson are based on a mix of Russian media, family statements relayed by Baza, and listings on Myrotvorets, with limited independent confirmation. Official Ukrainian and Russian channels have not provided comprehensive public verification.
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