Two British fighters captured in Ukraine by Russian forces appeared on Moscow’s state TV and have asked to be swapped with a pro-Russian politician who is currently being held by Ukrainian authorities, Reuters reported.
According to reports, It was unclear how freely the two men – Shaun Pinner and Aiden Aslin – were able to talk.
Both the British fighters have asked Prime Minister Boris Johnson to help bring them home in exchange for Ukraine releasing pro-Russian politician Viktor Medvedchuk.
“We look to exchange myself and Aiden Aslin for Mr Medvedchuk. Obviously I would really appreciate your help in this matter,” he said, saying he spoke a little Russian and had been treated well.
According to British website Sky News, Pinner was caught on camera saying he was captured in Mariupol while fighting with the Ukrainian Marines. Pinner said he was fighting in the port city for the past five to six weeks.
Aiden Aslin, another British national who belongs to Newark in Nottingham, was one of the last Ukrainian soldiers to have surrendered in Mariupol. He had joined the Ukraine’s armed forces as a marine in 2018 and had also applied for a citizenship.
Aslin fought to defend Ukraine for more than 50 days, but a shortage of supplies forced his unit to surrender. In the video broadcast by the Russian state TV, the soldier apparently had cuts and bruises on his face.
The unidentified man was then shown speaking to Aslin, who was sat on a chair wearing a T-shirt bearing the emblem of Ukraine’s far-right Azov battalion.
“I think that Boris needs to listen to what Oksana (Medvedchuk’s wife) has said,” said Aslin, who also looked nervous according to Reuters.
Ukrainian security services on Monday published a video showing Viktor Medvedchuk, a detained pro-Russia Ukrainian tycoon and politician, calling to be exchanged for Ukrainian forces fighting in the besieged port city of Mariupol, AFP reported.
“I want to ask Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky to exchange me for Ukrainian defenders and residents of Mariupol,” he said in the video, wearing black clothes and looking directly into the camera.
