Russia placed former UK Defence Minister Ben Wallace on its international wanted list on May 13, 2026, citing an unspecified criminal investigation, according to the Russian Interior Ministry’s database [1, 2, 3, 4].

Russian state agency TASS, citing unnamed law enforcement sources, reported the investigation may be related to terrorism charges [2, 3, 4]. However, some sources only describe the allegations as a criminal charge without further detail [1, 3].

Wallace served as UK Defence Minister from 2019 until August 2023 and has since strongly advocated for increasing military support for Ukraine while condemning Russian aggression [1, 2, 3, 4].

In September 2025, at the Warsaw Security Forum, Wallace called for Ukraine to develop long-range weapons capable of striking Crimea. He criticized the Russian-controlled Crimean bridge, saying, "We have to help Ukraine have the long-range capabilities to make Crimea unviable. We need to choke the life out of Crimea. And if we do that, I think Putin will realise he’s got something to lose. We need to smash the cursed bridge" [1, 2, 3, 4].

Following these remarks, a regional Russian lawmaker in October 2025 urged that Wallace be placed on Russia’s wanted list for his statements about Crimea [1, 2, 3].

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described Wallace’s calls regarding Crimea as "stupid" but said Moscow did not find it necessary to respond publicly to the statements of former Western officials [2, 3, 4].

Wallace dismissed his addition to the wanted list as a politically motivated "stunt," accusing Russia of illegally invading Ukraine and sacrificing Russian lives for President Putin’s ego. He said, "I am not surprised by this latest Russian stunt at a time when the Kremlin is failing at home and abroad. The whole world knows that Russia illegally invaded Ukraine four years ago. The Kremlin sacrifices Russian lives for the sake of Putin’s ego" [3].

The case remains open with Russia yet to provide further details. Wallace’s status on the wanted list marks a new low in tensions between Moscow and the UK over the war in Ukraine.

No further public developments or court dates have been announced.