A British man, identified as 22-year-old James Scott Rhys Andersen, has reportedly been taken prisoner while fighting for Ukraine in Russia’s Kursk region, according to Russian state media outlet TASS. Andersen, a former British soldier, was mentioned by a military source in the report.
The British Foreign Office has acknowledged the situation and stated that they are providing support to the family of the detained British man. This comes after a video surfaced on Russian media featuring a man claiming to be James Scott Rhys Andersen. In the video, the man mentions his background as a former British Army soldier and describes his journey from the UK to Poland, eventually crossing into Ukraine.
It remains uncertain whether Andersen was speaking under duress in the video, as he sits in front of a dark background and responds to questions about his motivations for joining the conflict in Ukraine. The video appears to be heavily edited, with noticeable cuts at various points.
The International Legion in Ukraine has seen individuals from different nationalities, including former soldiers, joining the fight against Russian forces to support Kyiv’s armed forces in the ongoing conflict.