Russian authorities have laid criminal charges against Australian man Oscar Jenkins for being a “mercenary in an armed conflict”, four months after the former teacher was captured while fighting for Ukrainian forces.
In a statement the Prosecutor’s Office for the occupied territory of Lugansk said it had “approved the indictment in the criminal case against 33-year-old Australian Commonwealth citizen Oscar Charles Augustus Jenkins”.
According to the indictment cited by local media, Mr Jenkins came to Ukraine in February 2024 and then fought against the Russian army between March and December 2024 and was paid around $11,000 to $15,000 a month.
“A citizen of Australia, on his own initiative, in order to receive material remuneration, arrived on the territory of Ukraine to participate as a mercenary in an armed conflict with the Russian Federation on the side of enemy troops,” local authorities allege.
After the approval of the indictment, the case materials have been transferred to the Supreme Court of the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) for consideration, where Mr Jenkins could reportedly be sentenced to up to 15 years in jail if convicted.
It’s claimed the Australian signed a contract with the Ukrainian Defence Ministry to serve in the 66th separate mechanised brigade and then undertook special military training before fighting in the LPR and the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR).
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia had not abandoned Mr Jenkins.
“We’ll continue to make representations to the reprehensible regime of Vladimir Putin on behalf of Mr Jenkins. We will stand up and use whatever avenues we have at our disposal to continue to make those representations,” Mr Albanese said.
Moscow has long classified foreigners who fight for Ukraine’s armed forces against the Russian invasion as “mercenaries”, who can be criminally charged rather than “prisoners of war” who have legal rights and protections under the Geneva Convention.
Last month British citizen James Scott Rhys Anderson was sentenced in Russia to 19 years in prison on charges of terrorism and “mercenary activities” after being captured in November while fighting for Ukraine in the Kursk region.
In February another video emerged of Mr Jenkins being held by Russia’s military, showing the Australian prisoner apparently having his blood pressure tested while his captors joked the positive results proved he was “not dead”.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is yet to comment on the latest developments in Mr Jenkins’ case, but earlier this month the ABC revealed Russia’s ambassador to Canberra had left the country and is yet to be replaced.
