Pro-war Latvian who moved to Russia reportedly sent toward Ukraine front against his will

Sergei Mulivanov left Latvia two years ago after criticizing the country's restrictions on the Russian language and its support for Ukraine. He had served on the council of the Russian Union of Latvia party and openly supported Russia's war.

After obtaining Russian citizenship, Mulivanov found work as a courier near Moscow. His relatives say he unknowingly became involved in a fraud scheme after his employers allegedly used him to transport stolen money.

He was arrested in April 2026 on fraud charges, which he denies.

According to his acquaintances, Mulivanov was tricked into signing a Russian Defense Ministry contract and an accompanying application while in detention.

His lawyer said both documents were originally undated and were subsequently marked as having been signed in October.

"The signature from six months ago was made to look as though it had been provided just days earlier," the lawyer said, according to Russian outlet Ostorozhno Novosti, as cited by The Insider.

On October 28, investigators informed Mulivanov and his lawyer that the criminal proceedings against him would be suspended and he would be sent to war. Both submitted written refusals.

Two days later, following a court hearing on extending his detention, Mulivanov was taken to investigators rather than returned to jail. He reportedly refused another request to sign documents without his lawyer present but was nevertheless handed over to an escort.

He later called his relatives from a bus heading toward Rostov, a major transit point for Russian forces traveling to Ukraine.

His defense team says he has Type 2 diabetes and polyneuropathy and did not undergo the required military medical examination.

According to The Insider, which cited Ostorozhno Novosti, his relatives had received no information about his whereabouts or condition for six days as of November 5.