British Volunteer Reportedly Taken Captive by Russian Forces in Kursk Region

A British national fighting for Ukraine has reportedly been captured by Russian forces in Russia’s Kursk region. In a video which began circulating online in Russian Telegram channels on November 24, a man in military uniform with bound hands identifies himself as 22-year-old James Scott Rhys Anderson.

The man, speaking in a British accent, states he formerly served as a signalman in the British army before joining the International Legion in Ukraine to fight against Russia. The date and authenticity of the footage have not been independently verified.

Russian state news agency TASS allegedly cited an unspecified military source claiming a “UK mercenary” was taken prisoner in the Kursk region. Russia often refers to foreign volunteers fighting for Ukraine as mercenaries and denies them the prisoner-of-war protections guaranteed them under international law.

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has not explicitly confirmed Mr. Anderson’s capture but told media it is “supporting the family of a British man following reports of his detention,” according to the BBC.

The video of Mr. Anderson was reportedly sent by his commander to his father, Scott Anderson, who confirmed his son’s identity.

In the summer of 2022, two British nationals captured while fighting in Mariupol as members of Ukraine’s marines were sentenced to death in a show trial held in a court in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine. They were subsequently released as part of a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine, brokered by Saudi Arabia.