Latest news with #BenR.
Russia Today
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Ukraine extradites German mercenary wanted for rape at home
The Ukrainian authorities have extradited a German mercenary who is wanted in his home country on suspicion of rape and possession and distribution of child pornography, the media outlet Suspilne has reported, citing the office of Ukraine's Public Prosecutor General. Identified only as Ben R., the individual had until recently served in the Ukrainian International Legion – a unit of foreign fighters that Russia considers mercenaries. Ukraine reportedly decided to deport Ben R. on December 31, 2024, but the process was slowed down by the need to study 'all the circumstances.' According to the report, the Ukrainian authorities also launched a pre-trial investigation into Ben R. over allegations of rape made by two local women. Strana UA claimed that the 29-year-old was detained in January, with German media alleging earlier this year that he was being investigated in Ukraine on suspicion of raping a minor. In 2021, the German military launched a probe against the man, who was serving in the Bundeswehr at the time, after at least four women accused him of sexual harassment or rape, according to the Office of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Commissioner. However, the investigations were eventually dropped 'for various reasons,' the publication added. Ben R. reportedly came under the authorities' scrutiny again in early 2022, following a tip-off from the US National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about child pornography which was being distributed on the online platform Discord. In March 2022, the German police raided the suspect's home in Bavaria, confiscating his electronic devices, whereupon he swiftly moved to Ukraine, several media outlets reported. He allegedly went on to join a medical unit, with Bild describing him as a 'German hero' several months later. Meanwhile, German investigators discovered that the impounded devices contained a 'total of 5,700 photos and around 420 videos showing sexualized violence against children,' according to Der Spiegel. In September 2022, Bavarian prosecutors filed an EU-wide arrest warrant against the man, followed by an extradition request to Ukraine and a second EU arrest warrant in 2023. In November of that year, new pornographic materials linked to him, which had presumably been filmed and uploaded during his stay in Ukraine, were discovered on the internet, Der Spiegel reported. According to the Ukrainian media, the military unit where the man had served only terminated his contract in November 2024.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kyiv reportedly extradites German suspected of rape who fought for Ukraine
Ukraine is extraditing a German citizen who fought in Ukraine's Defense Forces and is suspected of rape and other crimes, the BBC and Suspilne reported on March 17, citing sources in the Prosecutor General's Office. Ben R. is suspected of rape in Germany and Ukraine, as well as possessing and distributing images of sexual violence, including those involving children, according to the BBC. The German citizen reportedly fought for Ukraine between 2022 and 2024. German prosecutors requested his extradition twice in late 2023, but Ukrainian authorities took the step only a year later, in December 2024. Ben R. was reportedly arrested in Sumy Oblast a month later and left Ukraine via the Polish border on March 17 to stand trial in Germany, the BBC reported. Ben. R reportedly appealed the decision twice, but both times with procedural violations, leading to the court rejecting the appeals. German prosecutors allegedly possess video evidence of Ben R. raping women, including two Ukrainians, one of whom is a minor. Both of them confirmed this during a pre-trial investigation by Ukrainian prosecutors, though the underage girl later withdrew her testimony, the BBC wrote. The suspected rape of a minor remains under investigation. Ben R. officially served in the International Legion of Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) but also carried out tasks for combat units of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the BBC reported after receiving confirmation from both agencies. According to the outlet's sources, Ben R. took part in the battle of Bakhmut. The International Legion is divided into two units, one under the military intelligence agency and the other under the Armed Forces. Citizens from over 50 countries have joined the unit since the start of the full-scale invasion, including military veterans from the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, Europe, and beyond, Ukraine's military intelligence said. Initially lauded as a PR success, it soon became marred by scandals and stories about misconduct. Prior to his service in Ukraine, Ben R. served in the German military but was banned from performing military service in March 2022 and officially discharged a year later following a probe by German military prosecutors, the German newspaper Spiegel reported. Foreigners with criminal records cannot serve in Ukraine's Defense Forces. Last year, Ukraine extradited Craig Lang, a U.S. citizen who fought for Ukraine but was wanted in his homeland on murder, robbery, and other charges. Read also: Ukraine war latest: Ukraine confirms withdrawal from Sudzha in Russia's Kursk Oblast We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Russia Today
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
German mercenary arrested in Ukraine on suspicion of raping minor
A German mercenary suspected of repeated sex offenses at home has been arrested in Ukraine, according to Der Spiegel magazine. The former German Armed Forces soldier who joined Kiev's forces was previously described as a 'hero' in several German media publications. Identified only as Ben R., the former German soldier stands accused of rape and sexual assault, as well as possessing and distributing child pornography in Germany and raping a minor in Ukraine, according to the German media reports. The suspect now faces extradition to Germany, Der Spiegel wrote over the weekend, citing the regional public prosecutor's office in the German state of Bavaria. The paper also published a lengthy piece detailing his case back in December. The man reportedly fled to Ukraine and joined the fight against Russia on Kiev's side to avoid criminal charges at home. According to Der Spiegel, the suspect joined the German Armed Forces in 2013 and signed a contract for 12 years, until 2025. READ MORE: Moscow releases report on Kiev's war crimes In 2021, the military launched an investigation against him, according to the Office of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Commissioner. That followed after at least four women accused him of sexual harassment or even rape. Two of them withdrew their complaints later, Der Spiegel said, adding that one of them allegedly faced threats from the suspect. All the investigations against him were then discontinued 'for various reasons,' the paper added. The man reportedly came to the attention of German law enforcement again in early 2022 following a tip-off from the US National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. American security services alerted their German colleagues about child pornography attributed to Ben R. being distributed on the online platform Discord. In March 2022, the German police raided the suspect's home in Bavaria, confiscating his electronic devices, including three hard drives and two laptops. READ MORE: Russia launches criminal probe into mercenary Jesus – media Ben R. then swiftly moved to Ukraine, with the German authorities having 'no reason to apply for an arrest warrant' against him at that time. In Ukraine, he reportedly joined a unit providing medical assistance to frontline fighters. In June 2022, the German tabloid Bild published a story about Ben R., where he was portrayed as a 'German hero' saving the 'lives of Ukrainian soldiers.' The man claimed to journalists he had joined the military to 'help people' and spoke about his wish to join a Ukrainian combat unit himself. Back in Germany, investigators discovered that devices seized from Ben R's apartment during the March raid contained 'a total of 5,700 photos and around 420 videos showing sexualized violence against children,' including sexual acts and alleged cases of rape, according to Der Spiegel. Apart from that, ammunition taken from German army stocks was also found in his apartment. READ MORE: Moscow reacts to reports of western mercenary war crimes in Ukraine In September 2022, Bavarian prosecutors filed an EU-wide arrest warrant against the man. However, he was still communicating with Bild almost a year after that, according to Der Spiegel. In summer 2023, he reportedly told Bild that he was officially part of the Ukrainian army and was receiving between €2,000 and €2,500 ($2,069 to $2,586) for his service. The German authorities first requested his extradition from Ukraine in 2023 but received no reply from Kiev. In November of that year, new pornographic materials linked to Ben R. were discovered on the internet. A total of 136 images and videos were allegedly filmed and uploaded by him during his stay in Ukraine, according to Der Spiegel. On the videos, women were reportedly begging him to stop, with some of them appearing to be stunned or having visible injuries. The investigators now suspect the man of at least six new instances of rape. In late 2023, the second EU arrest warrant was issued against him. The evidence against Ben R. was also sent to the Ukrainian police. He is now also being investigated in Ukraine on suspicion of raping a minor, the German media reported.
