Australian POW feared executed by Russia is alive, Penny Wong says

An Australian volunteer soldier fighting for Ukraine who was reported to have been executed by Russian forces after being taken prisoner is alive, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Jan. 29.

"The Australian government has received confirmation from Russia that Oscar Jenkins is alive and in custody," she said in comments reported by The Guardian.

Jenkins is serving in the 402nd Separate Rifle Battalion, which is part of Ukraine's 66th Separate Mechanized Brigade, the Ukrainian investigative journalism outlet Slidstvo.Info reported on Jan. 17.

He went missing on Dec. 16 in 2024 while being on a combat mission near the village of Mykolaivka in Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine's Ground Forces Command told the outlet.

In a video that emerged on Russian Telegram channels in late December, Jenkins is seen in military fatigues, interrogated by Russian captors.

The man behind the camera asks the captive about his name and background and whether he wants to live while beating him over the head.

Unverified reports began circulating in mid-January that the soldier was executed by his Russian captors, prompting Australian officials to make urgent inquiries to Russia about his whereabouts.

"We still hold serious concerns for Mr Jenkins as a prisoner of war," Wong said, adding: "We have made clear to Russia in Canberra and in Moscow that Mr Jenkins is a prisoner of war and Russia is obligated to treat him in accordance with international humanitarian law, including humane treatment."

Russia has been repeatedly accused of summarily executing Ukrainian POWs throughout the war.

The Geneva Conventions mandate all warring parties to treat POW with respect and dignity, while executing POWs is considered a gross violation of international law and a war crime.

Unlike most other foreigners volunteering to join Ukraine's resistance against Russia, Jenkins has had no military experience.

The Australian media described the man as "much loved" by his community in Australia, a talented cricket and football player who studied biomedical sciences before working as a lecturer in China.

He is believed to have traveled to Ukraine in 2024.

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