Russia sentenced an Australian to 13 years in prison. Australia criticized and promised to release
Australia has criticized the sentencing of an Australian man by a court of the unrecognized terrorist Luhansk People's Republic for participating in hostilities on the side of Ukrainian troops. Foreign Minister Penny Wong called the trial a sham, reports Reuters.
According to her, the Australian government is "appalled by the sham trial and 13-year sentence" handed down to 33-year-old Oscar Jenkins.
"As a full-fledged member of the regular Armed Forces of Ukraine, Jenkins is a prisoner of war. The Australian Government has made it clear to Russia that he must be afforded the protections afforded to a prisoner of war. Russia has an obligation to treat him in accordance with international humanitarian law, including humane treatment," the Foreign Minister said .
According to her, the Australian government intends to cooperate with Ukraine and the International Committee of the Red Cross to secure Jenkins' release.
Before traveling to Ukraine, the Australian citizen worked as a teacher in Melbourne. According to Russian propaganda, Jenkins allegedly served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine from March to December 2024. On December 16, 2024, he disappeared near Mykolaivka, Luhansk region.
on May 16, 2025, a Russian court sentenced him to 13 years in prison and recognized him as a "mercenary" who fought on the side of Ukraine against Russia. Jenkins will reportedly serve his sentence in a maximum security prison.
- on April 15, it became known that Russia for the first time condemned its military for surrendering to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The CPD explained why.
- On May 2, the Togolese authorities learned that its citizens had been captured by the Ukrainian Armed Forces – they fought on the side of Russia.
- On May 14, border guards captured Russians who posed as Ukrainians.
