Reports indicate that Russian troops have apprehended a British individual while he was engaged in combat for Ukraine.
In a widely shared video released on Sunday, the individual introduces himself as James Scott Rhys Anderson, who is 22 years old.
He claims to be a former soldier in the British Army and mentioned that he enlisted to serve in Ukraine’s International Legion after leaving his previous employment.
Dressed in military attire and speaking with an English accent, he addresses the camera, stating: “I was a part of the British Army, from 2019 to 2023, 22 Signal Regiment.”
He informs the audience that he was “just a private” and served as “a signalman” in “One Signal Brigade, 22 Signal Regiment, 252 Squadron.”
“After I left and lost my job, I applied through the International Legion website. I had just lost everything. I just lost my job,” he recounted.
“My father was away in prison, I saw it on television,” he continued, shaking his head. “It was a foolish decision.”
In a subsequent video, he is depicted with his hands bound and at one point, with tape over his eyes.
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He narrates his journey to Ukraine from Britain, saying: “I flew from London Luton to Krakow, Poland. Then took a bus from there to Medyka, on the border with Ukraine.”
The Russian state news agency Tass reported that a military source confirmed a “UK mercenary” had been “captured in the Kursk region” of Russia.
The UK Foreign Office has stated that it is “assisting the family of a British individual following reports of his detainment.”
The Ministry of Defence has opted not to comment at this moment.
