Canberra urged that Oscar Jenkins be treated as a prisoner of war and called for his release in coordination with Ukraine and international organizations.
The Australian government denounced on Saturday the 13-year prison sentence handed down in Russia to Australian citizen Oscar Jenkins, who fought alongside Ukraine’s armed forces in 2024, and demanded he be treated as a prisoner of war.
“The Australian Government is appalled by the sham trial and the 13-year sentence imposed on Australian citizen Oscar Jenkins. As a full member of the regular Armed Forces of Ukraine, Jenkins is a prisoner of war,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong stated in a press release.
Jenkins, a 33-year-old former biology teacher, was sentenced on Friday by the Supreme Court of the Luhansk region—annexed by Moscow—on charges of “participation as a mercenary in an armed conflict,” according to Russian state news agency TASS.
“The accused was found guilty of participation as a mercenary in an armed conflict,” the ruling stated.
According to the court, Jenkins traveled from Melbourne to Ukraine in February 2024, signed a contract with the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense at a recruitment center in the city of Ternopil, and was deployed to the village of Shchurovo in the Donetsk region. From March to December of that year, he fought Russian forces on the eastern front.
The court noted that Jenkins received monthly compensation of approximately 700,000 rubles—around $8,600—until he was captured by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) in late 2024.
His detention became public in December when Russian Telegram channels shared a video showing him being interrogated following his capture by Russian forces.
The Australian government expressed concern over his health and stated it is working in coordination with Ukraine, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and other organizations “to advocate for his welfare and release.”
In earlier statements, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declared: “We will continue to make representations on behalf of Jenkins to Vladimir Putin’s deplorable regime. We will stand firm and use every means at our disposal.”
Canberra insists that because Jenkins formally joined Ukraine’s Armed Forces, he cannot be classified as a mercenary. Under the Geneva Conventions, prisoners of war are entitled to protection under international humanitarian law.
Meanwhile, Australia’s public broadcaster ABC reported that at least six Australian citizens have died in combat while fighting for Ukraine since Russia’s invasion began in February 2022.
Jenkins is believed to be the first Australian captured alive and prosecuted by Russian authorities in a court established in occupied Ukrainian territory.
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