British Mercenary Captured in Russia While Combatting for Ukraine in Kursk

A British mercenary engaged in combat for Ukraine within Russia has been seized by Putin’s troops and displayed on camera.

Clips reveal British soldier James Scott Rhys Anderson bound to a chair after being taken captive and subjected to questioning by Russian personnel.

Another video depicts Anderson, who identifies himself as ‘Jimmy Wray’, enduring additional inquiry from his captors with tape obscuring his eyes.

The former soldier is believed to have been apprehended amidst intense hostilities in Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces conducted a surprise incursion across the border over the summer.

In a series of propaganda recordings shot by the Russians, Anderson divulges his military background and the circumstances that led him behind enemy lines.

He stated that he served in the British army from 2019 until 2023 and subsequently enrolled in Ukraine’s International Brigade as a mercenary following his departure from the armed forces.

The 22-year-old claims to have belonged to the 22nd Signal Regiment, part of the Royal Corps of Signals in the British Army, which provides advanced communication and information systems support to the combat units.

Anderson mentioned, ‘I was in the 22 Signal Regiment, just a private. I served as a signalman in 1 Signal Brigade, 22 Signal Regiment, 252 Squadron.’

He proceeded to elucidate his reasons for joining the Ukrainian forces battling Russia on the front lines.

The former soldier remarked, ‘So, when I left my position, I was dismissed from my job, I applied on the International Legion [of Ukraine] website.’

‘I had just lost everything. I lost my job.’

‘My father was incarcerated. I witnessed the conflict on television. It was a reckless decision. I flew to Krakow, Poland, from London Luton.’

‘Then I took a bus to Medyka in Poland at the Ukraine border [and proceeded to Ukraine].’

In a different video, the captive soldier introduced himself as ‘Jimmy Wray, Britannia, Oxford.’

In contrast to the previous video, his statements in this recording seemed to lack coherence, perhaps as an attempt to resist his captors.

‘I trained for one year. Then I stayed for four years,’ he asserted.

‘Commander, take my **** and instruct me to come… take my passport, everything, my phone… I do not wish to be here.’

He mentioned he had been with the Ukrainian forces for four months and suggested his role involved instructing Ukrainians on ‘how to shoot, how to patrol, maybe evacuation.’

A Russian military representative informed the state-controlled TASS news agency: ‘A mercenary from Britain has been taken into custody in the Kursk region.’

A report from Russia indicated: ‘Overall, the footage will be beneficial and could provide valuable insights regarding communications and their structure within the British army.’

Ukraine retains control over several hundred square kilometers of the Kursk region, which borders the northeast of Ukraine, but Putin’s forces are steadily pushing them back.

Reports suggest that North Korean soldiers are actively engaged alongside Russian troops within Kursk.

This capture follows a report claiming that a high-ranking Russian general, along with 500 North Korean personnel, were reportedly killed by British Storm Shadow missiles in a significant assault.

The UK Foreign Office stated that it is ‘assisting the family of a British individual following reports of his detention.’

The Ministry of Defence has refrained from commenting at this time.

Contact our news team by reaching out via email at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For additional stories similar to this, explore our news page.