Russian Veteran Who Warned Putin of Military Mutiny Arrested After Calling for Kremlin Meeting

Key Points:

• Former volunteer fighter Alexander Lunin was detained by Russian authorities for 11 days after publicly appealing to President Vladimir Putin about alleged abuse of Russian soldiers and warning of a potential military revolt.
• Lunin disappeared after traveling to Moscow, and police searched his home in the Voronezh region, confiscating electronic devices; the specific reason for his detention has not been disclosed.
• Lunin gained widespread attention with a video urging Putin to address military abuses, accusing commanders of torturing soldiers and warning that the army might turn against the Kremlin if ignored; the video reportedly garnered around 12 million views in 24 hours.
• Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed awareness of Lunin’s appeal but stated officials had not yet reviewed it, while Lunin denied calling for a coup, claiming he was relaying information encouraged by Defense Ministry and security officials.
• Lunin, a former reconnaissance commander with combat experience and a concussion injury, had recently been collecting testimonies from servicemen about abuse, intending to present this evidence to Russian leadership.