Australian captured while fighting for Ukraine charged as mercenary

Oscar Jenkins, a 33-year-old Australian teacher, has been captured by Russian forces while he was fighting in Ukraine. He is now facing serious charges of being a mercenary, which means he was allegedly fighting for money rather than for his country. This information comes from the prosecutor's office in the Luhansk region of Ukraine, which is currently under Russian control. The authorities have stated that they have officially approved the indictment against him under Russia's criminal code. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia has publicly addressed the situation, assuring that the Australian government has not abandoned Mr. Jenkins. He emphasized that they are actively working to support him and will utilize all available avenues to advocate on his behalf. Oscar Jenkins arrived in Ukraine in February 2024 and reportedly participated in military operations against Russian forces. Prosecutors allege that he was being paid a substantial amount of money, estimated to be between 600,000 and 800,000 rubles per month, which translates to approximately 5,500 to 7,300 British pounds. This is a significant sum for anyone involved in such activities. A video that surfaced in December last year depicted Mr. Jenkins with his hands bound, being physically assaulted and interrogated by Russian soldiers. They questioned him about whether he was receiving payment for his involvement in the conflict in Ukraine. At that time, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong called for his immediate release and insisted that all prisoners of war should be treated in accordance with international humanitarian law. The charges against Mr. Jenkins are taking place in the Luhansk region, a province that was annexed by Moscow in 2022 and has been under almost complete Russian control since then. Just before launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized Luhansk and Donetsk as independent territories from Ukraine. This recognition has fueled ongoing conflict in the region since 2014. In a related case, another individual was convicted by a Russian military court after being charged with terrorism and mercenary activity when he was captured in Russia's Kursk region in November 2024. This individual is notable for being the first British national to be convicted by Russia during the ongoing war.