Oscar Jenkins: Australia summons Russian ambassador over video of captured Melbourne man | EUROtoday

For free actual time breaking information alerts despatched straight to your inbox signal as much as our breaking information emails

Sign as much as our free breaking information emails

Sign as much as our free breaking information emails

Australia has summoned Russia’s ambassador to the nation over experiences {that a} Melbourne man was killed after being captured whereas preventing for Ukraine.

Anthony Albanese stated on Wednesday that his authorities was “gravely concerned” about Oscar Jenkins, a 32-year-old trainer, who was captured by Russian forces final yr.

The prime minister stated Australia would take the “strongest action possible” if experiences of Jenkins’s demise had been right.

Reports of Mr Jenkins’s demise stay unverified.

“We’ll await the facts to come out,” he stated. “But if there has been any harm caused to Oscar Jenkins, that is absolutely reprehensible and the Australian government will take the strongest action possible,” he stated at a press briefing.

“I spoke with the Ukrainian ambassador on Monday in my office. We call upon Russia to immediately confirm Oscar Jenkins’ status, we remain gravely concerned. We will await the facts to come out.”

A authorities spokesperson stated Russian ambassador Alexey Pavlovsky had been summoned to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to reply questions on Mr Jenkins’s standing.

“The Russian Federation is obligated to treat all prisoners of war in accordance with international humanitarian law,” the spokesperson stated in an announcement.

Foreign minister Penny Wong advised ABC Radio the connection with Russia had been “very difficult” for a few years. “Australia has maintained diplomatic relations with Russia through that period under different governments,” Ms Wong stated. “However, we will consider all options once we have ascertained the facts and once we can verify what has actually occurred here with Mr Jenkins.”

Ms Wong additionally spoke in regards to the Jenkins household. “They’ve lived with the fear and uncertainty of a loved one in the middle of a foreign war for many months. I know these reports will be devastating to them, and they are in my thoughts and I am sure the thoughts of many Australians.”

The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Wednesday {that a} overseas soldier who had educated Mr Jenkins was “mourning” the demise of his “close friend” as he accused Russian forces of torturing and executing the Australian.

The unidentified soldier, who reportedly served alongside Mr Jenkins, stated he had been advised on 9 January that the Melbourne man had been executed. He stated the information was confirmed by a fellow soldier a day later.

“He wasn’t here for money or glory,” the soldier stated of Mr Jenkins. “He was here to help Ukraine. If I can say one thing about Oscar, he was the first one in and the last one out. He always made sure everyone else was taken care of.

“I took him under my wing, helped him with everything I could, made sure he was on his team. I taught him everything I knew.”

Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, stated Kyiv was attempting to substantiate if Mr Jenkins had been killed.