Overview
- Gianni Dante Bettiga, 23, from Ushuaia, traveled to Ekaterinburg to study and, according to his family, signed up through a private recruiter after promises of administrative work and residency.
- He underwent about two weeks of training near Moscow and is now serving with Battalion 3 of Regiment 57 in the Donetsk area, sending sporadic messages pleading to return to Argentina.
- His father, Juan Bettiga, filed an urgent letter to Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov requesting immediate humanitarian dispensation under a clause cited from Federal Law 53‑FZ.
- The father attached medical records showing he has liver cancer, and the family says Dante’s own request for discharge was denied.
- Argentine and Russian officials have not provided a resolution, the private contracting intermediary is not reachable, and the lack of direct diplomatic relations is hampering consular assistance.