Australian volunteer soldier presumed dead may be alive in Russian captivity

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on 29 January that the Australian government has received a message from Russia claiming that Australian citizen Oscar Jenkins, who fought for Ukraine and was previously reported dead after having been taken prisoner by Russia, may still be alive.

Source: Albanese in a comment to ABC

Details: Albanese said Australia is currently seeking further confirmation.

Quote: "I am reticent to confirm that is the case, but certainly that is the statement that has been made by Russian authorities to our department. We have received that information through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, but we are seeking confirmation."

Background: 

• On 15 January, CNN reported, citing a statement by Albanese, that the Russians may have killed Jenkins. The Australian government promised to take "the strongest action possible" if the information was confirmed.
• CNN noted that the Russians captured Jenkins in December 2024. Later, a video of him being interrogated was released online, but CNN was unable to establish the location. The footage shows that Jenkins' hands are tightly tied, and he seems to have difficulty understanding the questions asked in Russian.
• The Australian television channel ABC and CNN affiliate Seven News reported that Jenkins had presumably been killed in captivity. The channels cited sources in Ukraine but did not disclose their names.
• On 17 January, Slidstvo.info, a Ukrainian team of independent professional journalists, discovered that a video featuring a body alleged to be Jenkins’ was posted four years ago on an Iranian website, and that the video description refers to events in Nagorno-Karabakh.

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