Australian Mercenary Taken by Russia, Says Canberra
A video emerged in December showing Russian soldiers interrogating Oscar Jenkins, a fighter for Ukraine. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
A video surfaced in December showing Russian troops interrogating Oscar Jenkins, a 32-year-old Australian citizen who fought for Ukraine and went missing late last year.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced to national media that Russian authorities have confirmed Jenkins is alive and in custody. He noted that Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade received a statement from Russia, and Canberra is now seeking confirmation regarding his situation.
The media reports that the Russian ambassador, Aleksey Pavlovsky, informed the Australian government that Jenkins is being held on Russian territory and is in a “normal” condition.
In a separate statement on Wednesday, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong emphasized that Canberra has made it clear to Moscow that “Mr. Jenkins is a prisoner of war and Russia is obligated to treat him in accordance with international humanitarian law.”
Earlier this month, ABC quoted several foreign nationals fighting alongside Jenkins who suggested that he might have been executed shortly after his capture. One of Jenkins’ American comrades claimed that his corpse had been identified because of a “vegan” tattoo on his hand. Another Australian reported that Jenkins’ body was found in the same area where the interrogation video was filmed.
Foreign Minister Wong expressed “grave concerns” regarding these reports and noted that the “Russian Ambassador has been called in” to provide clarification about Jenkins’ fate.
Around the same time, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov mentioned in interviews that he was “unaware whether this issue has been brought up in any way in an official manner by the Australians,” but suggested that “possibly, some actions have already taken place through diplomatic channels.” He reiterated that foreign fighters “taking part in hostilities on the side of the Kiev regime” are considered “legitimate targets” by the Russian military.
Since the escalation of the conflict in February 2022, multiple fighters from Western countries, including the UK and the US, have been confirmed dead in Ukraine. Moscow views foreign nationals who enlist in the Ukrainian military as mercenaries, which exempts them from the protections granted by the Geneva Convention to prisoners of war. Russia has also accused Western backers of facilitating the enlistment of mercenaries from among military veterans, framing this as evidence of a proxy war against Ukraine.
In September, Russia’s Investigative Committee reported that it had concluded investigations into 785 foreign mercenaries.
Ian Smith for TROIB News
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced to national media that Russian authorities have confirmed Jenkins is alive and in custody. He noted that Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade received a statement from Russia, and Canberra is now seeking confirmation regarding his situation.
The media reports that the Russian ambassador, Aleksey Pavlovsky, informed the Australian government that Jenkins is being held on Russian territory and is in a “normal” condition.
In a separate statement on Wednesday, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong emphasized that Canberra has made it clear to Moscow that “Mr. Jenkins is a prisoner of war and Russia is obligated to treat him in accordance with international humanitarian law.”
Earlier this month, ABC quoted several foreign nationals fighting alongside Jenkins who suggested that he might have been executed shortly after his capture. One of Jenkins’ American comrades claimed that his corpse had been identified because of a “vegan” tattoo on his hand. Another Australian reported that Jenkins’ body was found in the same area where the interrogation video was filmed.
Foreign Minister Wong expressed “grave concerns” regarding these reports and noted that the “Russian Ambassador has been called in” to provide clarification about Jenkins’ fate.
Around the same time, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov mentioned in interviews that he was “unaware whether this issue has been brought up in any way in an official manner by the Australians,” but suggested that “possibly, some actions have already taken place through diplomatic channels.” He reiterated that foreign fighters “taking part in hostilities on the side of the Kiev regime” are considered “legitimate targets” by the Russian military.
Since the escalation of the conflict in February 2022, multiple fighters from Western countries, including the UK and the US, have been confirmed dead in Ukraine. Moscow views foreign nationals who enlist in the Ukrainian military as mercenaries, which exempts them from the protections granted by the Geneva Convention to prisoners of war. Russia has also accused Western backers of facilitating the enlistment of mercenaries from among military veterans, framing this as evidence of a proxy war against Ukraine.
In September, Russia’s Investigative Committee reported that it had concluded investigations into 785 foreign mercenaries.
Ian Smith for TROIB News
