chuggafugga
MIA
So 2 x nobodies want to be exchanged for a high value pro-Russian Oligarch
"The families of Shaun Pinner and Aiden Aslin have said the men are not mercenaries or volunteer fighters and should therefore be treated as prisoners of war in accordance with the Geneva Convention."
How does anyone see this going down?
Two British fighters captured by Moscow's forces in Ukraine have appeared on Russian state TV and asked to be exchanged for pro-Russian politician Viktor Medvedchuk.
It was unclear how freely the two men - Shaun Pinner and Aiden Aslin - were able to talk.
Both spoke separately after being prompted by an unidentified man in footage broadcast on the Rossiya 24 state TV channel.
The two men asked British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to help bring them home in exchange for Ukraine releasing captured oligarch Mr Medvedchuk, who was shown in a video released around the same time on Monday by Ukraine's SBU intelligence service asking to be swapped too.
The families of Mr Pinner and Mr Aslin have said the British nationals are not mercenary soldiers or volunteers and should therefore be treated as prisoners of war in accordance with the Geneva Convention.
Mr Pinner, a former British Army soldier, appeared tired in the video on Russian state TV as he said he was captured in Mariupol while fighting with Ukrainian marines.
The 48-year-old added that he had been fighting in the besieged city for five to six weeks but was now in the breakaway region of Donetsk.
In a second heavily-edited video, Mr Pinner, who is originally from Bedfordshire, appeared to be questioned by a Russian journalist about how he was captured.
He answered: "We were in the factory area of Mariupol.
"In early hours of Tuesday morning, it was decided we move from the area of the factory, but we didn't know exactly where.
"At about four in the morning we left the factory."
There was "not much time to think," he said.
The Russian reporter then appeared to tell Mr Pinner his Ukrainian commanders wanted him to be killed.
Mr Pinner spoke of his fear of capture in January, telling the Mail on Sunday: "I fear for my life. The Russians will treat us differently if we are captured because we are British. This is always on my mind, that I will be captured."
In a statement released by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) after his capture, Mr Pinner's family explained how he became involved in the defence of Ukraine, which they said he considers "his adopted country".
The statement read: "Shaun was a well-respected soldier within the British Army serving in the Royal Anglian Regiment for many years. He served in many tours including Northern Ireland and with the United Nations in Bosnia.
"In 2018 Shaun decided to relocate to Ukraine to use his previous experience and training within the Ukraine military.
"Shaun enjoyed the Ukrainian way of life and considered Ukraine as his adopted country over the last four years. During this time, he met his Ukrainian wife, who is very focused on the humanitarian needs of the country.
"He progressed into the Ukrainian Marines as a proud member of his unit."
The Foreign Office is in contact with the families of Mr Pinner and Mr Aslin and is supporting them.
Meanwhile, the video released by Ukrainian intelligence of Mr Medvedchuk showed him making an appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The Ukrainian oligarch asked to be exchanged for the defenders of Mariupol and any civilians allowed to leave.
"The families of Shaun Pinner and Aiden Aslin have said the men are not mercenaries or volunteer fighters and should therefore be treated as prisoners of war in accordance with the Geneva Convention."
How does anyone see this going down?
Two British fighters captured by Moscow's forces in Ukraine have appeared on Russian state TV and asked to be exchanged for pro-Russian politician Viktor Medvedchuk.
It was unclear how freely the two men - Shaun Pinner and Aiden Aslin - were able to talk.
Both spoke separately after being prompted by an unidentified man in footage broadcast on the Rossiya 24 state TV channel.
The two men asked British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to help bring them home in exchange for Ukraine releasing captured oligarch Mr Medvedchuk, who was shown in a video released around the same time on Monday by Ukraine's SBU intelligence service asking to be swapped too.
The families of Mr Pinner and Mr Aslin have said the British nationals are not mercenary soldiers or volunteers and should therefore be treated as prisoners of war in accordance with the Geneva Convention.
Mr Pinner, a former British Army soldier, appeared tired in the video on Russian state TV as he said he was captured in Mariupol while fighting with Ukrainian marines.
The 48-year-old added that he had been fighting in the besieged city for five to six weeks but was now in the breakaway region of Donetsk.
In a second heavily-edited video, Mr Pinner, who is originally from Bedfordshire, appeared to be questioned by a Russian journalist about how he was captured.
He answered: "We were in the factory area of Mariupol.
"In early hours of Tuesday morning, it was decided we move from the area of the factory, but we didn't know exactly where.
"At about four in the morning we left the factory."
There was "not much time to think," he said.
The Russian reporter then appeared to tell Mr Pinner his Ukrainian commanders wanted him to be killed.
Mr Pinner spoke of his fear of capture in January, telling the Mail on Sunday: "I fear for my life. The Russians will treat us differently if we are captured because we are British. This is always on my mind, that I will be captured."
In a statement released by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) after his capture, Mr Pinner's family explained how he became involved in the defence of Ukraine, which they said he considers "his adopted country".
The statement read: "Shaun was a well-respected soldier within the British Army serving in the Royal Anglian Regiment for many years. He served in many tours including Northern Ireland and with the United Nations in Bosnia.
"In 2018 Shaun decided to relocate to Ukraine to use his previous experience and training within the Ukraine military.
"Shaun enjoyed the Ukrainian way of life and considered Ukraine as his adopted country over the last four years. During this time, he met his Ukrainian wife, who is very focused on the humanitarian needs of the country.
"He progressed into the Ukrainian Marines as a proud member of his unit."
The Foreign Office is in contact with the families of Mr Pinner and Mr Aslin and is supporting them.
Meanwhile, the video released by Ukrainian intelligence of Mr Medvedchuk showed him making an appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The Ukrainian oligarch asked to be exchanged for the defenders of Mariupol and any civilians allowed to leave.
