Ukrainian Forces Capture Brezhnev’s Adopted Great-Grandson

Anton Milaev, the 45-year-old adopted great-grandson of Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, was captured by Ukrainian forces while fighting for the Russian army in the war against Ukraine.

The Ukrainian news outlet Babel reported the development.

The story was initially published by the pro-Kremlin Telegram channel Baza and was later confirmed to Babel by sources in Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.

According to the publication, Milaev is the adopted grandson of Galina Brezhneva, the daughter of Leonid Brezhnev. In the fall of 2025, he signed a contract with the Russian army and went to war as a combat engineer (sapper). By November, he had stopped communicating with his family.

The family later received information that Milaev was being held as a prisoner of war in the Ukrainian-controlled part of the Kherson region.

As previously reported, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine had approved a new procedure for payments related to the capture and elimination of Russian servicemen.

A reward of 100,000 hryvnias is offered for the capture of an enemy serviceman. The amount will be divided proportionally among the soldiers who directly took part in the capture.

The measure is expected to increase the number of prisoners of war captured, who could later be exchanged for Ukrainian troops. Eligibility for the payment requires proper verification of the capture, including video documentation of the prisoner being taken into custody.