UK Pledges Support for British Volunteer Soldier Captured by Russian Forces
The UK government has committed to doing everything possible to assist James Scott Rhys Anderson, a 22-year-old former British soldier reportedly captured by Russian forces while fighting for Ukraine.
Videos surfaced on Russian Telegram channels over the weekend showing a man identifying himself as Anderson. The footage depicted a bearded man in military fatigues with his hands bound, speaking slowly in English about his service as a signalman in the British Army from 2019 to 2023.
The UK Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, confirmed he had been briefed on the matter, stating, “We will do all that we can to offer this UK national all the support we can.” A Foreign Office spokesperson added that Anderson’s family is being supported amid the reports of his detention.
Anderson reportedly traveled to Ukraine eight months ago to join the Ukrainian Army’s International Legion. The exact circumstances of his capture remain unclear, though Russian bloggers claim he was taken near the village of Plekhovo in the Kursk region, inside Russian territory.
Russian authorities label foreign fighters as mercenaries, often denying them the protections afforded to prisoners of war under international law.
Anderson’s capture, if confirmed, would mark the first known case of a Western soldier being detained inside Russia during the ongoing conflict.
His father, Scott Anderson, expressed his shock and distress after being informed of the situation by his son’s Ukrainian commander and seeing the video. “I was in complete shock and in tears. I could see straight away it was him,” he said.
A fellow volunteer who worked with Anderson described him as “a positive, funny, and energetic person who is deeply supportive of his comrades.”
Shaun Pinner, a former British soldier who was previously captured by Russian forces while fighting for Ukraine in 2022, stressed the importance of Anderson’s resilience in the coming days. “He is a Ukrainian soldier, not a mercenary. That’s the bottom line,” Pinner said, cautioning against public comments that could affect Anderson’s treatment or case.
Pinner himself was sentenced to death by a Russian proxy court before being released later that year in a deal brokered by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.
The International Legion, which Anderson joined, consists mainly of foreign volunteers and was formed early in the war. While initial figures indicated over 20,000 fighters from 52 countries had joined, current numbers are classified.
Meanwhile, the conflict in Ukraine has intensified, with escalated rhetoric and military actions. Ukrainian forces have targeted Russian assets, including an oil depot in the Kaluga region, while Russia has responded with drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities.
The UK’s pledge to assist Anderson highlights the complexities of the war and the challenges faced by foreign volunteers caught in its crossfire.
