A video showing Russian soldiers questioning Oscar Jenkins, a pro-Ukraine fighter, emerged online in December.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that Russia has informed Australia that its citizen, Oscar Jenkins, is alive and in Russian custody. The 32-year-old went missing late last year while fighting in Ukraine.
A Russian military blogger released a video in December depicting the interrogation of a man identifying himself as Jenkins.
Albanese confirmed to ABC News on Wednesday that the Australian government received a statement from Russian authorities through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and is seeking further confirmation.
According to reports, Russian Ambassador Aleksey Pavlovsky told the Australian government that Jenkins is detained in Russia and is in satisfactory condition.
In a separate statement on Wednesday, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong stated that Australia has informed Moscow that Jenkins is a prisoner of war and that Russia must treat him according to international humanitarian law.
Earlier this month, ABC News cited accounts from other foreign fighters in Ukraine suggesting Jenkins may have been executed shortly after his capture. An American comrade claimed Jenkins’ body was identified by a “vegan” tattoo. Another Australian fighter reported finding Jenkins’ remains, along with others, in the same area where the video was filmed.
Foreign Minister Wong expressed serious concerns about these reports, stating that the Russian ambassador was summoned to clarify Jenkins’ fate.
Around the same time, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russian media he was unaware of any official Australian communication on the matter, adding that diplomatic actions may have already been undertaken.
Peskov asserted that foreign fighters supporting the Ukrainian side are legitimate targets for the Russian military.
Several fighters from Western countries, including the UK and US, have died in Ukraine since the conflict escalated in February 2022.
Moscow considers foreign nationals fighting for Ukraine as mercenaries, ineligible for prisoner-of-war protections under the Geneva Convention. Russia also accuses Ukraine’s supporters of employing mercenaries, claiming it demonstrates Western proxy warfare against Russia.
Last September, Russia’s Investigative Committee reported completing investigations into 785 foreign mercenaries.