Australia’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, has promised to take the strongest possible action against Russia if it’s confirmed that Russian forces are responsible for the death of an Australian schoolteacher, Oscar Jenkins. Jenkins, who volunteered to fight alongside Ukrainian forces, is believed to have been killed while in Russian custody.
Albanese spoke out on Wednesday after Seven News reported that Jenkins, a Melbourne schoolteacher, had died in captivity. While Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs has not verified these claims, they expressed grave concern for Jenkins’ safety and well-being.
“We urge Russia to confirm Oscar Jenkins’ status immediately,” Albanese said in a statement from Tasmania. “If any harm has come to him, that would be absolutely unacceptable. The Australian government will take the strongest possible action.”
Foreign Minister Penny Wong also weighed in, offering her thoughts to Jenkins’ family and emphasizing that the Australian government was urgently working to confirm the situation. “Our thoughts are with Mr. Jenkins’s family. They have been living with fear and uncertainty for months, and these reports are devastating for them. They’re in our hearts, and I’m sure in the hearts of many Australians,” Wong shared.
Wong also noted that Australia’s relationship with Russia has been challenging for years, especially since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and the tragic downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in 2014. Despite the tension, Australia has kept diplomatic ties with Russia. “But once we have confirmed what has happened with Mr. Jenkins, we will consider all possible responses,” she added.
A chilling video surfaced last month, showing Jenkins in military gear, being interrogated and struck by a Russian-speaking man. Jenkins, 32, is believed to be the first Australian taken as a prisoner of war by Russian forces in Ukraine.
Sadly, if these reports are true, Jenkins would be the first Australian prisoner of war killed by a foreign power since 1951, when Horace William “Slim” Madden died in North Korea.
Australia is waiting for confirmation of the facts, but one thing is clear – if these reports are verified, it will be a heartbreaking and tragic moment for his family and the nation.
