An Australian volunteer soldier who was reported to have been executed by Russian forces after being taken prisoner in Ukraine is alive and in custody, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed on January 29.
"The Australian government has received confirmation from Russia that Oscar Jenkins is alive and in custody," Wong said, as reported by The Guardian.
Who Is Oscar Jenkins?
Jenkins is serving in Ukraine’s 402nd Separate Rifle Battalion, part of the 66th Separate Mechanized Brigade, according to the Ukrainian investigative journalism outlet Slidstvo.Info.
He went missing on December 16, 2024, while on a combat mission near Mykolaivka, Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine's Ground Forces Command told reporters.
In late December, a video surfaced on Russian Telegram channels showing Jenkins in military fatigues, being interrogated by Russian captors. In the footage, his captors repeatedly beat him over the head while questioning him about his name, background, and whether he wanted to live.
By mid-January, unverified reports began circulating that Jenkins had been executed by his captors. This news prompted Australian officials to make urgent inquiries into his whereabouts.
Although now confirmed to be alive, concerns remain over his treatment in Russian custody.
"We still hold serious concerns for Mr. Jenkins as a prisoner of war," Wong said, adding: "We have made clear to Russia in Canberra and in Moscow that Mr. Jenkins is a prisoner of war, and Russia is obligated to treat him in accordance with international humanitarian law, including humane treatment."
Unlike most foreign volunteers fighting for Ukraine, Jenkins had no prior military experience before joining the resistance.
Australian media describe him as a beloved member of his community, a talented cricket and football player, and a former biomedical sciences student who worked as a lecturer in China before traveling to Ukraine in 2024.
Russia’s Record on POW Treatment
Russia has repeatedly been accused of executing Ukrainian POWs, violating the Geneva Conventions, which mandate that all warring parties treat prisoners with dignity and respect.
Executing POWs constitutes a gross violation of international law and a war crime.
