Spymaster | Ukraine
Illia Samoilenko, the Azov brigade's intelligence wizard
Illia Samoilenko, who fought in the infamous siege in Mariupol in 2022 and whose men know him by his nickname, 'Gandalf', is now head of intelligence for Ukraine's 12th Special Forces Brigade Azov. Active on the battlefield against Moscow, he is just as active on the political scene, quietly preparing his rise to the Ukrainian parliament.