Ukrainian deserter, suspected of attack in Amsterdam, wanted life imprisonment in Europe

Ukrainian deserter, suspected of attack in Amsterdam, wanted life imprisonment in Europe

A Ukrainian man suspected of an attack in Amsterdam in March was a deserter from the Ukrainian Armed Forces and sought to end up in a European prison, according to an investigation by journalists from the Dutch broadcaster NOS.

In January, the army command granted the 30-year-old soldier Roman D. a short leave as he stated he wanted to visit his mother in the Czech Republic. However, he never arrived; his mother claims she hasn’t been in contact with him since the Russian invasion.

"He often said he wanted to kill someone in Norway to end up in prison there and live the rest of his life," said the man’s former commander, Yuriy Malyuta.

"He studied the laws of different countries to understand how he might secure a life sentence. He had long shown signs that something was wrong with his mental state," he explained.

Roman D. is from Sartana in the Donetsk region, which is currently controlled by Russia. This origin led to speculation that the knife attack might have been part of a Russian operation. Roman D.’s former comrades are skeptical of this theory.

"Roman fought against the Russians for years, it’s hard to imagine he could work for them," said one of them.

However, they cannot completely rule out the possibility: "Maybe someone from his hometown, who now works for the Russians, contacted him."

When asked, the Dutch prosecution stated they are still considering all versions.

Roman D. joined the ranks of the Ukrainian army before the 2022 mobilization. In 2019, he was assigned to the artillery unit of the 503rd battalion, which participated in the defence of the city of Vuhledar, known for its fierce battles, as well as around the Kherson area. In 2023, Roman suffered a severe traumatic brain injury from a grenade explosion.

He was then transferred to an administrative position, where, according to military personnel, he became increasingly isolated.

Colleagues describe him as reserved, provocative, and whimsical. One calls him a recluse, another says he constantly changed his mind "and always wanted to argue."

According to one of the soldiers, he was fascinated by Elon Musk and bitcoins. According to another, Roman became interested in radical Islam: "He read the Quran and talked a lot about Allah. But that’s Roman; he quickly gets captivated."