.jpg "Australia Vows Strong Action After Death of its POW in the Russia-Ukraine War")
Reports that Australian national Oscar Jenkins - a prisoner of war who was captured fighting for Ukraine - may have been killed in Russian custody have the Australian government pledging it will take decisive action.
Who Was Oscar Jenkins?
Oscar Jenkins, 32, from Melbourne, had been working in Tianjin, China, as a university lecturer before joining Ukraine's international brigades. Dozens of foreigners have joined since Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The Australian government had also warned against traveling to Ukraine to fight but he had volunteered.
The Captivity and Alleged Death
Jenkins was reportedly captured by Russian forces last month. Videos circulating on Russian Telegram channels showed Jenkins in a bound condition, visibly distressed, and being questioned in Russian. The video, which CNN could not geolocate, also shows Jenkins being struck on the head.
This week, sources in Ukraine told ABC and Seven News that Jenkins may have died in captivity. If confirmed, his death would represent the first reported case of an Australian prisoner of war dying in Russian custody during the conflict.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed deep concern for Jenkins' fate from his government.
"We have called in the Russian ambassador already," said Albanese. "If there has been any harm caused to Oscar Jenkins, that is absolutely reprehensible. The Australian government will take the strongest action possible.
While Albanese refused to detail what actions Australia might take, his statement underlines how seriously the government views the matter.
The Larger Implication of Foreign Fighters in Ukraine
Oscar Jenkins was one of at least seven Australians reported to have died fighting in Ukraine. Yet even as the Australian government urges people not to join the fight, the international brigades remain a powerful draw for volunteers bound by a sense of shared purpose.
Foreign fighters like Jenkins have played an important role in the Ukrainian war against Russia, but their presence also has raised questions regarding international legal protection, especially in case of capture. The reported death of Jenkins puts into sharp focus the risks faced by foreign volunteers and how to afford them humane treatment under the Geneva Conventions.
Australia's Diplomatic Options
If Jenkins' death is confirmed, that will leave Australia with few but impactful diplomatic avenues to pursue. The options may be:
- Expulsion of Russian Diplomats: A move that would express Australia's censure of Russia's action.
- Sanctions: Targeted against Russian officials involved in the war effort.
- Global Advocacy: Bringing the issue to the fore in the United Nations and other global forums to point out the treatment meted out to the prisoners of war.
A Call for Accountability
Oscar Jenkins' reported death puts the brutal reality of war between Russia and Ukraine, and its human toll, into perspective, even for those far from the line of fire. It also serves as an urgent starter for questions regarding the treatment of POWs and accountability by the international community.
As Australia waits for confirmation of Jenkins' fate, the incident is a grim reminder of the war's far-reaching consequences. The government's commitment to taking "the strongest action possible" signals that Canberra will not remain silent in the face of such injustices.
- Australian POW
- Oscar Jenkins Russia Ukraine
- Russia-Ukraine war foreign fighters
- Australia's response to Russia's actions: the formation of international brigades in Ukraine