Reports suggest a British mercenary has been captured in Russia’s Kursk region, escalating tensions amidst the ongoing conflict and raising questions about foreign involvement.
A 22-year-old former British Army signalman, who served until 2023, has reportedly been captured in Russia’s Kursk Region while fighting with the Ukrainian International Legion. This legion is made up of foreign recruits whom Moscow regards as mercenaries.
According to the RIA Novosti and TASS news agencies, Russian forces apprehended an individual who identified as James Scott Rhys Anderson near Plekhovo village, roughly 5 kilometers within Russian territory. Numerous videos of his interrogation have been released on Russian Telegram channels.
Anderson mentioned that he was a signalman in the British Army, serving with the 1st Signal Brigade, 22 Signal Regiment, and 252 Squadron from 2019 to 2023. Following his military service, he reportedly encountered financial challenges and chose to join Kyiv’s International Legion after coming across an advertisement on television.
“It was a foolish decision,” he admitted. “I had just lost everything—my job, and my dad was in prison.”
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He stated that he submitted an online application to join the Ukrainian foreign mercenary force. Afterward, he traveled from London to Krakow, Poland, and then took a bus to Medyka at the Ukraine border. When questioned about how he came to be fighting on Russian soil, Anderson alleged in another video that his commanders had sent him there against his will.
“I don’t want to be here,” he told the interrogators, explaining that his commanders had taken his belongings, including his passport and smartphone, and ordered him to “get into the car.”
According to The Guardian, the UK Ministry of Defence has refrained from commenting on the capture of the former serviceman. Meanwhile, the Foreign Office mentioned that it is “supporting the family of a British man following reports of his detention.”
Earlier this month, a 22-year-old British man from Gunnislake, Cornwall was killed while fighting for Kiev at an “undisclosed location,” his family reported.
In August, Kyiv dispatched some of its most well-equipped and seasoned troops to the northern border with the aim of hindering Russian progress on other parts of the front line and securing a significant bargaining advantage. However, since then, not only has Kyiv been losing territory in Donbas at an accelerating rate, but it has also experienced over 34,500 casualties and lost numerous tanks in Kursk according to reports from the Russian military.
Kyiv faces challenges in replacing the troops lost during the conflict, with a significant decrease in volunteer fighters. Despite this, Kyiv has consistently refused to negotiate any compromises with Moscow. Russia claims that Ukrainians are being exploited as ‘cannon fodder’ in what it describes as a Western proxy war and accuses President Volodymyr Zelensky of being complicit in ongoing violence while prioritizing his political influence.
Moscow has characterized the Ukrainian incursion as a major turning point in the armed conflict, asserting that peace talks cannot take place until all of Kyiv’s forces are expelled from the Kursk Region.
In a recent post on X, British Defense Secretary John Healey affirmed the UK’s unwavering commitment to support Kiev “for as long as it takes” to achieve success. London has also aligned with the US in permitting Kiev to launch Western-supplied missiles further into Russian territory, signifying another escalation in the conflict.
