A British aid worker captured in Ukraine has died while being held hostage on accusations of being a spy, Russia state news site Tass has claimed.
Paul Urey, who was being held in captivity in the so-called Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), died on July 10 "due to illness and stress", the Ombudsman of the DPR Daria Morozova claimed on her Telegram social media channel.
His family also confirmed the death to Sky News, stating that he passed away five days ago "due to sickness", according to information that they received from the Foreign Office, The Mirror reports.
Daria Morozova wrote: "Official representatives of the UK (including the Foreign Office, the embassy in the Russian Federation, and members of the British Parliament) were notified of the capture of Paul Urey. Also, at his request, the relevant information was transferred to foreign media. However, no reaction from the UK did not follow".
Mr Urey, aged 45, was charged with "mercenary activities" by investigators in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), recognised only by Russia and Syria, in Ukraine before his death. He is believed to be from Lancashire and was captured by the Russian military along with fellow British national Dylan Healy, 22, in April.
Mr Urey was questioned about his motives for being in Ukraine on Russian TV while handcuffed. He explained he previously travelled to Iraq, and Afghanistan between 2008 and 2010, as well as to Libya to "help the revolution."
Mr Urey said he wanted to see if the refugee crisis was really as bad as the news in the UK portrays it, as he did not believe it was. He called the British Government “corrupt”.
Mr Urey’s mother Linda saw the video and said: "This is physically my son, but he is not acting in his natural way; his words are too matter of fact and his facial expressions make me not believe what he is saying. “Normally he speaks fast and to the point.
“I know my son like every mother, and this is not him being natural.” Russia claims Urey had been suffering from diabetes and respiratory, kidney and cardiovascular issues but that they gave him "appropriate medical assistance."
They continued: "However, given the diagnoses and stress, he passed away." It is said that Healy and Urey were detained at a Russian military checkpoint in the Zaporizhzhia region in late April while evacuating a Ukrainian woman and two children from the war zone.
Founder of Presidium Network, Dominik Byrne, said: "This is worrying news, however, this has not been verified by any authority yet and investigations are ongoing to determine the truth."
Two further British captives in the DPR, Sean Pinner and Aiden Aslin, are currently appealing against a death sentence.
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