Ukraine deports German mercenary accused of rape, according to reports
The German mercenary wanted in his home country for alleged rape and possession and distribution of child pornography has been extradited by Ukrainian authorities, as reported by the media outlet Suspilne, citing the office of Ukraine’s Public...
TroibNews 
The German mercenary wanted in his home country for alleged rape and possession and distribution of child pornography has been extradited by Ukrainian authorities, as reported by the media outlet Suspilne, citing the office of Ukraine’s Public Prosecutor General.
The individual, identified only as Ben R., had recently been a member of the Ukrainian International Legion, which consists of foreign fighters regarded as mercenaries by Russia.
Ukraine is said to have decided to deport Ben R. on December 31, 2024, but the extradition was delayed due to the need to investigate “all the circumstances.”
Additionally, the Ukrainian authorities initiated a pre-trial investigation into Ben R. in response to rape allegations from two local women.
Strana UA reported that the 29-year-old was taken into custody in January, with German media claiming that he was under investigation in Ukraine for the rape of a minor.
In 2021, the German military began an investigation against him while he was serving in the Bundeswehr after at least four women accused him of sexual harassment or rape, according to the Office of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Commissioner. However, the inquiries were ultimately dropped “for various reasons,” as the publication mentioned.
Ben R. reportedly caught the attention of authorities again in early 2022 after the US National Center for Missing and Exploited Children alerted them about child pornography being distributed on the platform Discord.
In March 2022, German police conducted a raid on his home in Bavaria, seizing electronic devices, leading him to quickly relocate to Ukraine, according to multiple media reports. It is alleged that he subsequently joined a medical unit, with Bild later describing him as a “German hero.”
Meanwhile, investigations by German authorities revealed that the seized devices held a “total of 5,700 photos and around 420 videos showing sexualized violence against children,” as reported by Der Spiegel.
In September 2022, Bavarian prosecutors issued an EU-wide arrest warrant for him, followed by an extradition request to Ukraine and a second EU arrest warrant in 2023.
In November 2023, new pornographic materials linked to him, presumably filmed and uploaded during his time in Ukraine, were discovered online, according to Der Spiegel.
Ukrainian media stated that the military unit where he had served only terminated his contract in November 2024.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
The individual, identified only as Ben R., had recently been a member of the Ukrainian International Legion, which consists of foreign fighters regarded as mercenaries by Russia.
Ukraine is said to have decided to deport Ben R. on December 31, 2024, but the extradition was delayed due to the need to investigate “all the circumstances.”
Additionally, the Ukrainian authorities initiated a pre-trial investigation into Ben R. in response to rape allegations from two local women.
Strana UA reported that the 29-year-old was taken into custody in January, with German media claiming that he was under investigation in Ukraine for the rape of a minor.
In 2021, the German military began an investigation against him while he was serving in the Bundeswehr after at least four women accused him of sexual harassment or rape, according to the Office of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Commissioner. However, the inquiries were ultimately dropped “for various reasons,” as the publication mentioned.
Ben R. reportedly caught the attention of authorities again in early 2022 after the US National Center for Missing and Exploited Children alerted them about child pornography being distributed on the platform Discord.
In March 2022, German police conducted a raid on his home in Bavaria, seizing electronic devices, leading him to quickly relocate to Ukraine, according to multiple media reports. It is alleged that he subsequently joined a medical unit, with Bild later describing him as a “German hero.”
Meanwhile, investigations by German authorities revealed that the seized devices held a “total of 5,700 photos and around 420 videos showing sexualized violence against children,” as reported by Der Spiegel.
In September 2022, Bavarian prosecutors issued an EU-wide arrest warrant for him, followed by an extradition request to Ukraine and a second EU arrest warrant in 2023.
In November 2023, new pornographic materials linked to him, presumably filmed and uploaded during his time in Ukraine, were discovered online, according to Der Spiegel.
Ukrainian media stated that the military unit where he had served only terminated his contract in November 2024.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
