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A Russian court has sentenced Australian national Oscar Jenkins to 13 years in a maximum-security prison for fighting alongside Ukrainian forces, state prosecutors in the Russian-controlled parts of eastern Ukraine said on Friday.
Jenkins,33, was found guilty of fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine against Russia between March and December last year, CNN reported. Jenkins, originally from Melbourne, was captured by Russian forces in December last year, and his arrest was revealed through a video on Russian Telegram accounts showing him being taken as a prisoner of war. In the footage, Jenkins appears disoriented, struggling to understand questions posed in Russian. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong expressed her government's outrage over the sentencing, calling it a "sham trial." Wong urged Russia to treat Jenkins in accordance with international humanitarian law. Australia has consistently called for Jenkins' release since his capture. "We continue to hold serious concerns for Jenkins. We are working with Ukraine and other partners, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, to advocate for his welfare and release," Wong said in a statement. According to CNN, Russian prosecutors claim Jenkins, an Australian national, received USD 7,400 to USD 10,000 per month to fight in Ukraine as a mercenary. The Kremlin maintains that mercenaries are subject to criminal prosecution and not entitled to prisoner-of-war protections under international law. In a photo shared by the Russian-controlled court in Luhansk, Jenkins was seen standing in a glass cage with his hands behind his back. According to the prosecutor's office statement, the court ordered Jenkins to serve his sentence in a maximum-security penal colony. Speaking in a mix of English, Ukrainian and Russian, he identified himself as "a soldier" and said he is a teacher in China and a student in Australia, as per CNN. Earlier this year, media reports suggesting he might have been killed prompted Canberra to summon the Russian ambassador, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese vowing the "strongest action" over any harm caused to the man. Albanese has since continued to advocate for Jenkins' well-being, condemning Russia's actions and labelling President Vladimir Putin's regime as "reprehensible." Notably, Australia has been a vocal critic of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, providing approximately USD 1 billion in assistance to Kyiv since 2022. The country has also offered military training to Ukraine's armed forces. (ANI)
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