British Ex-Soldier Sentenced to 19 Years in Russian Prison for Fighting in Ukraine

James Scott Rhys Anderson, captured during Ukraine's cross-border offensive in Kursk, was convicted of terrorism and mercenary activities in a closed Russian military trial.

James Scott Rhys Anderson, a 22-year-old former British Army signalman, was sentenced to 19 years in Russia for allegedly committing terrorism and mercenary activities while fighting for Ukraine.
Anderson was captured in November 2024 during Ukraine's cross-border offensive in Russia's Kursk region and admitted guilt during a closed military trial.
Under the sentence, Anderson will serve five years in prison followed by 14 years in a high-security penal colony, with Russia denying him prisoner-of-war protections under the Geneva Conventions.
The UK government condemned the trial and sentence as politically motivated, emphasizing that prisoners of war cannot be prosecuted for participating in hostilities under international law.
This marks the first known case of a foreign fighter sentenced on Russian territory, with previous British captives in Russian-occupied Ukraine either facing show trials or being released in prisoner exchanges.

Al Jazeera

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