Russia jails British volunteer fighting for Ukraine for 19 years
A Russian court sentenced James Scott Rhys Anderson, a British volunteer who was fighting for Ukraine in Russia's Kursk Oblast, to 19 years in prison, independent outlet Mediazona reported on March 5.
Footage of Anderson, 22, in Russian captivity emerged in November 2024. Russian authorities later confirmed that the British national was in their custody.
The court sentenced Anderson on "terrorism" and "mercenarism" charges. Russia often portrays foreign volunteers fighting for Ukraine as "mercenaries" and claims they are not entitled to protection as prisoners of war.
The British volunteer is to spend the first five years in prison and the rest of the term in a high-security penal colony.
The court considered Anderson's case in a closed session. A soldier of the Ukrainian Armed Forces who served in the same unit as the U.K. national was allegedly brought in as a witness. Anderson pleaded guilty, according to the court.
It is unclear whether the confession was forced, as Ukrainian officials and human rights groups pointed to widespread cases of abuse and torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POW) and captive civilians by Russia.
Russia accused Anderson of "illegally crossing the border" into Kursk Oblast in mid-November in 2024 and committing "criminal actions against civilians." The claims could not be verified, and Moscow has sentenced a number of Ukrainian POWs and volunteer fighters on similar charges without providing evidence.
Two other Brits, Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner, were captured by Russian forces in Mariupol in 2022 and sentenced to death before being released in a prisoner exchange.
Chris York
