A prisoner swap with Moscow to secure the release of Australian man Oscar Jenkins is not being ruled out by the Albanese government after the former teacher captured while fighting for Ukraine declared he was also prepared to serve Russia.
The first public comments from Jenkins since he was jailed last year have come as reports emerge of another Australian killed while fighting for Ukraine against President Vladimir Putin’s invasion.
Appearing gaunt and speaking from a facility in Russia to Vladivostok based Australian journalist, Jenkins explained why he had decided to join Ukraine’s armed forces in early 2024.
“It felt like the right thing to do; if a country invades another country, why?” “And if there’s not a good reason for that, like Taiwan, then that’s something that I should stand up for.”
“It felt like the right thing to do,” he said. “If a country invades another country, and if there’s not a good reason for that – like Taiwan – then that’s something that I should stand up for. I’m a young guy.
“People didn’t like what Russia was doing; they felt Russia was being a bully.
“It’s not that my life doesn’t mean anything to me, but sacrifices might need to be made. That’s still the attitude I have. It’s still the attitude I have with Russia as well. I’ve written a statement saying that I’d be happy to fight as a soldier for Russia.
“I’m a young guy. It’s not that my life doesn’t mean anything to me, but sacrifices might need to be made. That’s still the attitude I have.”
The former Melbourne cricket coach who was found guilty of acting as “a mercenary in an armed conflict” by a court in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region in May last year revealed he had told his Russian captors he would fight for them too.
“I’ve written a statement saying that I’d be happy to fight as a soldier for Russia. But if they don’t trust me or for whatever reason don’t want that, then I can understand,” Jenkins told Australian Mark Lowe in an interview first reported by the ABC.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has previously described Mr Jenkin’s trail as a “sham” following his jailing and declared he should be treated as a “prisoner of war”.
Russia’s embassy last week also hit out at arrest of a 27-year-old man in Brisbane on charges of foreign interference claiming the move by Australian authorities was “taken in the interests of a foreign nation – Ukraine”.
Asked by The Nightly whether the Commonwealth would consider a prisoner swap with Russia to get Oscar Jenkins returned to Australia, the Attorney General left open the possibility but insisted it was a matter for Foreign Minister Penny Wong to address.
“Well, that would require engagement with our foreign minister and a number of other diplomatic channels, which I’m not in a position to answer at this stage,” Attorney General Michelle Rowland said.
Assistant Foreign Minister Matt Thistlethawite said he couldn’t detail what efforts Australian officials were still trying to have him released “as quickly as possible”.
“Obviously, we try and negotiate as best we can on behalf of all Australians who find themselves in difficulties such as this,” Mr Thistlethwaite told the ABC on Monday.
“We obviously have to abide by international laws and we always uphold them. But the Australian officials on the ground will work with their counterparts to ensure that, hopefully he’s returned to Australia safely.”
Meanwhile the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is looking into reports that a former Australian soldier and medic was killed fighting in Ukraine.
Two social media accounts of foreign fighters in Ukraine said the man, who they identified by his online moniker “mozzie_the_aussiee”, recently died in combat.
Two months ago the Australian featured in a recruitment video for the International Legionnaires, a unit that recruits foreigners for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The 40-minute video shows the man in a close-quarters firefight with Russian soldiers in a burnt-out apartment building.
He gave an interview explaining why he joined the war with his face covered.
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