An Australian man, who was captured by Russian forces while fighting for Ukraine, has been sentenced to 13 years in prison on charges of being a “mercenary.” This has apparently drawn attention from the Australian government.
On Saturday, Foreign Minister Penny Wong stated that Russia has a humanitarian obligation to treat Oscar Jenkins, who is seen as a full member of the Ukrainian army, as a prisoner of war. She referred to the trial as a “fake trial” involving Jenkins, a 33-year-old from Melbourne.
Jenkins was found guilty of being involved in “armed conflict” and was sentenced by a Russian-controlled court in the Luhansk region of Ukraine.
“The Australian government is appalled by this fake trial and the 13-year sentence,” Wong expressed in her statement. She emphasized that Russia must grant Jenkins the protections afforded to him under international humanitarian law.
Wong mentioned that the Australian government has serious concerns over Jenkins’ well-being. They are collaborating with Ukraine and the International Red Cross to ensure his welfare and provide consular support to his family.
In Russia, authorities often regard foreigners who come to fight in Ukraine as mercenaries, allowing them to be prosecuted under criminal law instead of being recognized as prisoners of war, therefore denying them certain rights.
The Australian government has been consistently urging Russia to release Jenkins, who used to work as a biology teacher. A prosecutor backed by Russia claimed that Jenkins was involved in combat alongside Russian soldiers from March to December 2024.
A video emerged showing Jenkins in court, confined behind glass. He was captured by the Russian army in December 2024, and during that time, another video surfaced where he appeared to be roughly questioned and physically attacked.
In this video, Jenkins had his hands bound and was visibly distressed, wearing military clothing and appearing dirty. He spoke in English and some broken Ukrainian, identifying himself as 32 years old and hailing from Australia.
“I’m Australian,” he said. “Oscar Jenkins. 32… I’m studying biology.” During the video, the individual filming seemed to strike Jenkins twice on the head while questioning him in Russian.
For a time, it was believed that he might have been executed while in captivity until Russia confirmed in January that he was still alive. Later footage showed him undergoing a medical examination, where a comment in the background noted that his blood pressure indicated he was “not dead.”
