Overview
- A court in Russian-occupied Donetsk convicted Davies of taking part in the conflict as a paid mercenary and ordered a maximum-security prison term, prosecutors said.
- Prosecutors said he joined Ukraine’s International Legion in August 2024, received training in Ternopil, fought in Donetsk, and was captured last winter carrying a U.S.-made rifle.
- State-released footage shows Davies acknowledging a guilty plea and discussing monthly pay of $400–$500, with no confirmation that his statements were voluntary.
- The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office condemned the verdict as based on false charges, said he is a prisoner of war, and demanded Russia uphold the Geneva Conventions while providing consular support to his family.
- The case follows earlier sentences against foreign fighters, including a 19-year term for Briton James Scott Rhys Anderson, underscoring a broader pattern of prosecutions in occupied regions.