Particle.news
Download on the App Store
20 ARTICLES
·
2d ago

Australia Condemns Russia's 13-Year Sentence for Captured Volunteer Fighter

Oscar Jenkins, an Australian citizen fighting for Ukraine, was convicted as a mercenary by a Russian-controlled court, sparking diplomatic efforts for his release.

Image
Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Commonwealth of Australia Penny Wong addresses the 79th United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 27, 2024. REUTERS/Kent J. Edwards/File Photo
Image
Image

Overview

  • Oscar Jenkins, 33, was sentenced to 13 years in a maximum-security penal colony by a Russian-controlled court in Luhansk for alleged mercenary activity.
  • Australia's government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong, has labeled the trial a sham and demanded Jenkins be treated as a prisoner of war under international humanitarian law.
  • Jenkins, a former biology teacher from Melbourne, was captured in December 2024 while serving with Ukraine's military and has since appeared in videos showing signs of mistreatment and poor health.
  • Diplomatic efforts to secure Jenkins' release are intensifying, with Albanese expected to discuss his case with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting in Rome.
  • Speculation has arisen about Jenkins potentially being included in broader prisoner-exchange negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, though his classification as a mercenary complicates such efforts.