Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pledged to take the “strongest possible action” against Russia if it is confirmed that Russian forces killed a Melbourne school teacher in their captivity in Ukraine.
Albanese made the remarks on Wednesday after Seven News reported that Oscar Jenkins, who volunteered to fight with Ukrainian forces, was believed to have been killed.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has said it has not verified the report, which cited unnamed sources in Ukraine, but officials have “grave concerns” for Jenkins’ welfare.
“We call upon Russia to immediately confirm Oscar Jenkins’s status, we remain gravely concerned,” Albanese told reporters in Tasmania.
“We’ll await the facts to come out. But if there has been any harm caused to Oscar Jenkins, that’s absolutely reprehensible and the Australian government will take the strongest action possible.”
Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong said earlier that officials were making “urgent enquiries” about Jenkins and “all options” were being considered in terms of a diplomatic response, including the possible expulsion of the Russian ambassador.
“My thoughts are with Mr Jenkins’s family. They’ve lived with the fear and uncertainty of a loved one in the middle of a foreign war for many months. I know these reports will be devastating to them, and they are in my thoughts, and I’m sure the thoughts of many Australians,” Wong told ABC Radio.
Wong said that Australia had had a “difficult relationship” with Russia for many years, citing Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 by a Russian-made missile in 2014 with the loss of 298 people, including 38 Australians.
“We have maintained, Australia has maintained diplomatic relations with Russia through that period under different governments. However, we will consider all options once we have ascertained the facts and once we can verify what has actually occurred here with Mr Jenkins,” Wong said.
Video that circulated on social media last month showed Jenkins dressed in combat uniform while being interrogated and hit across the head by an unseen man speaking Russian.
The 32-year-old is believed to be the first Australian held as a prisoner of war by Russian forces in Ukraine.
Not including Jenkins, at least six Australians are believed to have been killed in Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion.
If his death is confirmed, Jenkins would be the first Australian prisoner of war killed by a foreign power since Horace William “Slim” Madden died in captivity in North Korea in 1951.
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