War

Russian Brothers Reportedly Die Fighting for Ukraine

Nexus Europa Newsroom
Posted May 22, 2026, 02:30 AM UTC · In the digest of 2026-05-22-0230
Russian Brothers Reportedly Die Fighting for Ukraine

Russian brothers Roman and Leonid Butusin reportedly died fighting for Ukraine. Their family fled Russia in 2014, sailing to Ukraine amidst the annexation of Crimea and the Donbas conflict.

Russian brothers Roman and Leonid Butusin reportedly died fighting for Ukraine. Their story began in the summer of 2014 when their father, Oleg Butusin, and then 17-year-old Roman, departed from Russia's Krasnodar Krai. Amidst the annexation of Crimea and the escalating conflict in Donbas, the two sailed across the Azov Sea to the Ukrainian coast on a homemade vessel. The family's journey to Ukraine highlights the personal choices made by some Russian citizens during the initial stages of the conflict, ultimately leading to the brothers' involvement and sacrifice for Ukraine. Sources: Українська правда.

Sources