On August 4 (local time), according to TASS news agency, the Swiss military justice agency said that it had opened a total of 24 investigations since 2022 to clarify suspicions that Swiss citizens participated in the conflict in Ukraine, an act strictly prohibited by Swiss law.
To date, 10 cases have been closed, while 14 cases are still under investigation. According to Swiss authorities, not all investigations are aimed at a specific individual. Some cases have been opened to verify information and clarify whether Swiss citizens participated in the conflict in Ukraine or not.
According to current Swiss law, Swiss citizens are not allowed to serve as mercenaries or participate in foreign armed forces. Violators may face up to 3 years in prison.
In February 2025, the Swiss Parliament rejected a proposal to allow exceptions for citizens wishing to participate in the conflict in Ukraine. This decision means that all Swiss citizens participating in the conflict in foreign military uniforms can still be prosecuted for criminal liability according to current regulations.
Also in 2025, the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the first time confirmed that a Swiss citizen had died while participating in the conflict in Ukraine. However, the agency did not disclose the identity or specific circumstances of the incident.
Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense once released statistics stating that as of March 2024, there were 13,387 foreign mercenaries coming to Ukraine to participate in the conflict. 5,962 of these people have been eliminated from combat.
Poland is the country with the largest number of citizens involved in the conflict, with 2,960 people, of which 1,497 are believed to have died. Georgia ranks second with 1,042 people, of which 561 are believed to have died.
Currently, the Ukrainian side has not spoken out about the data on mercenaries released by the Russian Ministry of Defense.
According to observers, Switzerland's continued investigation of citizens suspected of participating in the conflict in Ukraine reflects the country's long-standing stance in maintaining a neutral policy, while strictly implementing regulations prohibiting citizens from participating in armed conflict abroad.
