Previously invisible footage of Pow Oscar Jenkins shows him breaking his arm and appearing to be complaining of a weak, broken arm.
The Australian government said it was “a “Australian citizen caught by Russian troops” while fighting for Ukraine after complaining that he was weakened and his arms were broken. “There are serious concerns.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told public broadcaster ABC on Tuesday that he saw a video posted on Oscar Jenkins’ YouTube.
Albanese said Jenkins “seems to be a confirmation” that he is alive, but the government said it had “serious concerns about Jenkins’ welfare.”
“We have made it clear to Russia that Mr. Jenkins is a prisoner of war and that he has an obligation to kick in accordance with international humanitarian law and that they must be observed,” he said.
“We called on Russia to release Mr. Jenkins.
Jenkins, a 32-year-old school teacher from Melbourne, was captured by Russian troops while fighting the Ukrainian army. It is unknown when he left Australia for Ukraine.
In footage uploaded on February 8th, Jenkins wears a green wool hat in cold weather camouflage outfit. He looks uncomfortable, as the man behind the camera speaks in English, and the date is January 17, 2025.
The unidentified man explains that earlier reports of Jenkins’ death are “not right” and feels he is “a little weak” before Jenkins tells the camera “I want more freedom.” It explains that.
“I lost a lot of weight. I think I still have a broken arm and my hands aren’t good,” he said.
The date and reliability of the footage could not be independently verified.
In December, Pro Kremlin’s social media accounts were raised in question, and video footage of Jenkins slapped in the face by a Russian-speaking man first appeared. The man who claims to be Jenkins responded in both English and Ukrainians, saying he was a biology teacher who lived in Australia and Ukraine.
Australian media citing an unknown source reported that Russian forces had killed Jenkins in January.
In response to these reports last month, Albanese pledged to take “the most powerful action” by saying that if Russian forces were confirmed to do so, they would “absolutely condemn it.”
Moscow has since confirmed that Jenkins is still alive and detained as a prisoner of war, Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced in late January. The Russian government has not provided details on where Jenkins is being held or the conditions for his imprisonment.
Canberra-Moscow ties have been strained since Russian missiles defeated the Malaysia Airlines MH17 flight in 2014 in eastern Ukraine, with 298 people dead on board, including 38 Australians.
Australia has also denounced Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 as “illegal and immoral.”
Since then, Canberra has put more than $1.5 billion (approximately $950 million) into Ukraine’s “critical defense, economic, energy and humanitarian aid” to support the country’s “sovereignty and territorial integrity.” I have made a donation.
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