The Ukrainian Armed Forces Captured Mohamed Salah

• 9.08.2026, 10:10

An interview with the star soccer player's namesake has been published.

The Ukrainian military captured an Egyptian man who turned out to be the namesake of the star striker for the Egyptian national team and former Liverpool player Mohamed Salah. This information came to light in an interview with The Kyiv Independent.

The captured occupier said that he lived in Yekaterinburg and was studying to become a programmer at Ural Federal University.

According to him, after moving there, he started a family and is raising a daughter; he decided to join the Russian army to simplify the process of obtaining Russian citizenship.

“I heard that I might have the opportunity to get a Russian passport and serve in the army. I knew that veterans are entitled to many benefits. That way, we get an apartment, a passport, and access to government services. So it seemed to me like a good chance to become a full-fledged member of society,” he shared.