Anton Astakhov, the son of Russia's former children's rights ombudsman Pavel Astakhov, has been implicated in a criminal case involving allegations of illegally issuing military decorations in Ukraine. Russian newspaper Kommersant reported that Astakhov was detained in April and subsequently charged with fraud by civilian law enforcement.
Three years ago, after receiving a court sentence for fraud, Astakhov signed a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defence and joined frontline assault units. During his military service, he suffered a concussion and minor wounds but remained with his unit on the battlefield because operational demands required his presence.
Astakhov received multiple honours for his service, including a presidential decree on June 14, 2024, that awarded him the Medal of Suvorov for courage, heroism, and bravery displayed during a combat mission. He was also decorated with the Defender of Kursk Oblast medal and recognized with an award from the Akhmat special forces unit.
Detention and Legal Dispute
In April, military authorities summoned Astakhov to a military investigative department in the border city of Kursk to testify as a witness. Investigators detained him at the facility and transferred him to officers from the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Moscow, who subsequently charged him with fraud.
Astakhov's defence team has challenged the jurisdiction of the civilian investigators, arguing that military prosecutors must oversee the proceedings because Astakhov is an active-duty soldier. Defence attorneys also asserted that receiving the Medal of Suvorov legally exempts him from criminal prosecution under Russian law.
According to his legal representatives, multiple comrades who served alongside Astakhov were questioned by investigators and described him as an honest officer. Astakhov is presently incarcerated at the Matrosskaya Tishina pre-trial detention facility in Moscow, where he has formally requested to be returned to active duty in the conflict zone.
Family and Facility Background
Astakhov's father, Pavel Astakhov, is a widely recognized Russian legal figure and former television host who served as Russia's Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights from 2009 to 2016. The senior Astakhov held the high-profile government ombudsman post for seven years before stepping down following public criticism over remarks he made to child survivors of a deadly summer camp boating disaster.
The younger Astakhov is currently detained at Matrosskaya Tishina, a landmark high-security remand prison located in Moscow that has historically held prominent political figures, business executives, and military commanders. The Russian military has frequently recruited individuals serving criminal sentences into specialized frontline infantry units during the campaign in Ukraine, offering state commendations and cleared criminal records in exchange for combat service.
