Russian police beat up double amputee war veteran after breaking into his home by mistake

Russian police officers beat a double-amputee war veteran and forcibly restrained his wife during a mistaken house raid in the Tula region last week, according to the pro-Kremlin media outlet Regnum. Authorities later attempted to pressure the family into dropping their complaint. The victim, Sergey Zadeyev, lost both his legs fighting in Moscow’s war against Ukraine and is registered as a first-degree disabled veteran.

The 15 April raid was reportedly part of a “preventative” police sweep targeting Roma residents following a stabbing the previous weekend, despite the suspect in that case already being in custody. According to Zadeyev, officers climbed the fence of the family’s home searching for its previous owner, twisted his wife’s arms behind her back, and struck the veteran in the face and kicked him when he tried to intervene. When the family identified Zadeyev as a combat veteran, officers reportedly mocked them, saying “that doesn’t mean that nobody can touch him”.

After the family visited a hospital to document their injuries and filed a complaint, an official they believed to be the officers’ superior called to apologise and ask them to drop the matter. An Investigative Committee official went further, suggesting the officers had merely “overdone it”, and then threatened to file criminal charges against Zadeyev for resisting and insulting officers if the family proceeded.

The Investigative Committee has since opened a preliminary inquiry into the officers for abusing their authority, while simultaneously noting the victims’ conduct “may also show signs of violation”. The Interior Ministry confirmed the raids took place, describing Zadeyev as a resident who “behaved inadequately” and required police intervention.