Prime Minister Anthony Albanese states that the government is working to confirm reports of a volunteer fighter killed by Russian forces.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has vowed to take the “strongest possible action” against Russia if reports are confirmed that Russian forces killed a Melbourne school teacher in captivity in Ukraine.
Speaking on Wednesday, Albanese responded to a report by Seven News that Oscar Jenkins, a volunteer fighter with Ukrainian forces, was believed to have been killed.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has stated it has not yet verified reports, citing unnamed sources in Ukraine, that Melbourne teacher Oscar Jenkins, who volunteered to fight with Ukrainian forces, has been killed. However, officials expressed “grave concerns” for his welfare.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, speaking in Tasmania, urged Russia to confirm Jenkins’ status immediately. “We remain gravely concerned,” Albanese said. “We’ll await the facts, but if any harm has been caused to Oscar Jenkins, it is absolutely reprehensible, and the Australian government will take the strongest possible action.”
Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed that officials were making “urgent enquiries” about Jenkins’ situation. She added that “all options” were being considered for a diplomatic response, including potentially expelling the Russian ambassador.
Australia’s Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, has expressed sympathy for the family of Oscar Jenkins, a Melbourne teacher and volunteer fighter in Ukraine, amid reports of his possible death. “My thoughts are with Mr Jenkins’s family. They’ve endured months of fear and uncertainty with a loved one in the middle of a foreign war. These reports will be devastating to them, and they are in my thoughts, as well as the thoughts of many Australians,” Wong told ABC Radio.
Tense Relations with Russia
Wong highlighted Australia’s strained relationship with Russia, citing key events such as:
• Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
• The downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 in 2014 by a Russian-made missile, which killed 298 people, including 38 Australians.
“We have maintained diplomatic relations with Russia through these periods under different governments. However, we will consider all options once the facts regarding Mr Jenkins are verified,” Wong said.
Disturbing Video Evidence
A video circulated on social media last month showed Jenkins, 32, dressed in combat uniform while being interrogated and struck on the head by an unseen Russian-speaking individual. He is believed to be the first Australian held as a prisoner of war by Russian forces in Ukraine.
Australians in Ukraine
• At least six Australians are believed to have been killed in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion began in 2022.
• If Jenkins’ death is confirmed, he would be the first Australian prisoner of war killed by a foreign power since 1951, when Horace William “Slim” Madden died in North Korean captivity during the Korean War.
Next Steps
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has not yet verified the report but has expressed grave concerns for Jenkins’ welfare. Wong stated that Australian officials are conducting urgent inquiries, and all diplomatic responses, including the potential expulsion of the Russian ambassador, are being considered.
أستراليا تتعهد بالرد الشديد إذا تعرض المواطن للأذى في أوكرانيا
