Australia Demands Answers from Russia Over Captured SoldierS fate
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Wednesday that his government is prepared to take the “strongest action possible” if it is indeed confirmed that an Australian citizen, captured while fighting for Ukraine, has been harmed by russian forces.
A video circulated on social media in December depicted Oscar Jenkins, a 32-year-old Melbourne school teacher, dressed in military attire with his hands bound. The footage showed him being interrogated and struck by a Russian official.
The Australian government is urgently seeking clarification from Russia regarding reports of Jenkins’ death since becoming a prisoner of war.Prime Minister Albanese emphasized the need for immediate confirmation of Jenkins’ status and expressed grave concern over the situation.
“We call upon Russia to immediately confirm Oscar Jenkins’ status. We remain gravely concerned,” Albanese stated to reporters. “If there has been any harm caused to Oscar Jenkins, that is absolutely reprehensible.”
Potential Diplomatic Repercussions
While Albanese did not specify potential actions Australia might take if Jenkins has died, Monash University political scientist Zareh ghazarian suggested possible responses could include expelling Russia’s ambassador or imposing additional sanctions against Moscow.
- Expulsion: Withdrawal of ambassadors between Australia and Russia.
- Sanctions: Imposing further economic restrictions on Russian entities.
The opposition leader Peter Dutton echoed these sentiments, advocating for strong diplomatic measures should confirmation arise about Jenkins’ death at the hands of russians. He urged for both countries’ ambassadors to be sent home as a clear message against such acts.
Australia’s Support for Ukraine
This incident comes amid Australia’s critically important support for Ukraine amidst its ongoing conflict with Russia. Recently, Australia pledged 49 M1A1 Abrams tanks valued at AU$245 million ($152 million), bringing its total military assistance as 2022 to over AU$1.3 billion ($804 million).
Read more about Australia’s military aid to Ukraine here.
The Russian Embassy responded by referring inquiries back to statements made by Maria Zakharova from the Russian Foreign Ministry in December were she labeled detained foreign fighters as mercenaries subjecting them under their legal system without providing specific details about individual cases like that of Mr.Jenkins’.
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