Australia says it is "appalled" by the imprisonment of a national for "mercenarism" in Ukraine

Will Oscar Jenkins spend 13 years in a Russian prison? Australia said it was "appalled" on Saturday by the 13-year prison sentence handed down in Russian-occupied Ukraine to this Australian national, considered a "mercenary" for Kyiv. "The Australian government is appalled by the show trial and the 13-year prison sentence imposed on Australian Oscar Jenkins," said Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong.

Canberra "made it clear" to Moscow that Oscar Jenkins should be treated as a prisoner of war, given his status as an active-duty soldier in the Ukrainian regular army, it said in a statement. Oscar Jenkins, originally from Melbourne, was sentenced Friday "to 13 years of deprivation of liberty in a strict regime penal colony," the prosecutor's office in the Lugansk region, in eastern Ukraine, which is almost entirely controlled by Russia, announced on Telegram.

The court found the 33-year-old former biology teacher guilty of "participating in an armed conflict as a mercenary" for having fought against the Russian army alongside Ukrainian soldiers between March and December 2024. "Russia is obliged to treat him in accordance with international humanitarian law, including by ensuring humane treatment," the Australian minister said.

She added that Australia had "serious concerns" about Oscar Jenkins and was working with partners, including Ukraine and the International Committee of the Red Cross, to advocate for his well-being and release. Russia routinely considers foreigners fighting with Ukrainian troops as "mercenaries," which is punishable under Russian law, not volunteers.

The capture of Oscar Jenkins had raised concerns among the Australian government, which had already called for his release at the time. Several foreigners, including British nationals, have been tried by courts in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories over the past three years.