Russian occupying authorities reuse old footage of Yevhen Shved, twice convicted for pro-Ukrainian views, in ‘SBU agent’ detention video

Russian security forces released a video claiming to show the detention of an “agent of the Security Service of Ukraine” on 2 October 2026 and his confession to espionage. However, it includes old footage of the detention of Yevhen Shved, a resident of Dzhankoi who has already been convicted twice for his pro-Ukrainian views and has been serving his second sentence in a Russian penal colony since December 2025, The Tribunal. Crimean Episode initiative reported. 

Yevhen Shved. Photo from his personal social media page

The footage used by Russian propagandist media also suggests that the detention report refers to Shved. The same footage previously accompanied reports of Yevhen Shved’s conviction for ‘justifying terrorism’, which identified him as a resident of Dzhankoi District of the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

The date of birth given for the detainee in the security forces’ video dated 2 October also matches Shved’s. 

Screenshot from a video published by Russian media

In August 2026, Vladyslav Yesypenko, a former political prisoner, reported that Russian authorities had opened a new criminal case against Shved on charges of high treason. 

Yevhen Shved was first abducted in the summer of 2023. He was held at an unknown location for at least a month without any formal status in criminal proceedings. According to the Tribunal. Crimean Episode initiative, security forces forced him to pose for the camera with a Russian flag and deliver propaganda statements during this period. 

Related: 11 years of oppression and repression: how human rights in occupied Crimea are approaching zero

Shved has already been convicted twice in occupied Crimea – first for “desecrating” symbols of so-called Victory Day, and later for “justifying” the explosion on the Kerch Bridge.

After serving his first sentence, Shved was detained again as soon as he left the penal colony. ZMINA covered his story in detail.

On 28–29 September, Canada, Ukraine, and Norway co-hosted the second “Pathways to Peace” international conference in Toronto, focused on the return of Ukrainian children, detained civilians, and prisoners of war.

Fifty-four countries and organisations deplored the continued unlawful detention of Ukrainian civilians by Russians, including persons detained since 2014 in temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and individuals forcibly transferred to places of detention in Russia.

Participants of the international conference underscored in the joint communiqué the urgent need for timely and reliable information concerning the identity, whereabouts, legal status and condition of unlawfully detained civilians, as well as effective access and monitoring by relevant mandated international organisations.

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In addition, they emphasised that civilians deprived of liberty in connection with armed conflict are protected under international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

They called on Russia to:

• provide reliable information on the whereabouts of unlawfully detained Ukrainian civilians;
• ensure their communication with their families, lawyers and relevant international actors, including internationally mandated organisations;
• immediately release and return them to Ukraine, without preconditions.

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