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Australia has summoned the Russian ambassador following allegations that an Australian teacher, captured while fighting for Ukraine, was mistreated and killed in Russian custody.

Some shit you should know before you read: Back in 2022, Oscar Jenkins, a former Melbourne school teacher with no prior military experience, traveled to Ukraine to join its defense forces following Russia’s invasion. Motivated by a desire to support Ukraine’s sovereignty, Jenkins volunteered early in the war and spent over a year fighting alongside Ukrainian forces. In December, a video surfaced online showing Jenkins in a combat uniform, his hands bound, being interrogated and struck by an unseen Russian-speaking individual, confirming his capture by Russian forces. Weeks later, another video circulated on social media, sparking fears about his fate, as it seemed to suggest Jenkins had been killed while in Russian custody, though no official confirmation has yet been made.

Australian

What’s going on now: Following claims that Jenkins was executed, Australia has reacted, with top officials demanding answers from the Russian government. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese vowed to take the ‘strongest possible action’ against Russia if the reports are confirmed. He said that if Jenkins is still alive, Russia must immediately release him from custody. He added, ‘We remain gravely concerned… If there has been any harm caused to Oscar Jenkins, that is absolutely reprehensible.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong echoed the prime minister’s concerns, emphasizing that Australian officials were making “urgent inquiries” and considering “all options” for a diplomatic response. “My thoughts are with Mr. Jenkins’s family. 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.”

Australia has also summoned Russian Ambassador Alexey Pavlovsky to provide answers about Jenkins’s fate and reiterate the government’s outrage over the reported mistreatment. Wong warned that if the claims of Jenkins’s death are verified, potential measures could include the expulsion of Pavlovsky and additional sanctions on Russia. Opposition leader Peter Dutton supported these calls, stating, “If there is confirmation that Oscar Jenkins has been killed, the government should take the strongest possible action, and that is the ambassador should be withdrawn, and the ambassador here in Australia should be sent packing.”

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