Captured Brit soldiers forced to ask PM to let Putin’s ‘Prince of Darkness go’

They appeared on Russian state TV after being captured by soldiers

Two British fighters who Russian soldiers captured are being forced to ask Boris Johnson to release Vladimir Putin’s friend if they want to be set free.

Shaun Pinner, 48, and Aiden Aslin, 28, were both captured by Russian forces in Mariupol.

They were paraded on Russian state TV – suggesting that Boris Johnson release Putin’s close Ukrainian ally, 67-year-old Viktor Medvedchuk, more commonly known as the “Prince of Darkness.”

⚡️BREAKING: Pro-Kremlin lawmaker, Putin's crony Medvedchuk captured.

Zelensky announced that Viktor Medvedchuk, a lawmaker with the pro-Kremlin party Opposition Platform was captured by the Security Service. Medvedchuk is accused of treason. He escaped house arrest in February. pic.twitter.com/M3SIi65uht

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) April 12, 2022

Medvedchuk is a fugitive Ukrainian oligarch and the former leader of a pro-Russian opposition party, who has been Putin’s friend for some time. The politician was captured in Kyiv last week in what Ukraine’s security service SBU described as a “lightning-fast and dangerous” operation. Medvedchuk is accused of treason and escaped house arrest back in February.

Following his capture, the two British fighters who Russian forces had captured were recorded asking Boris Johnson to pressure Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, into releasing Medvedchuk.

Medvedchuk’s wife, Oxana Marchenko, has called for the two men to be released in exchange for her husband.

In a video appeal addressing Pinner and Aslin, she said: “It is in your power to ask the PM of your country Boris Johnson to influence Ukrainian leadership and to achieve Aiden’s and Shaun’s release by their exchange for….my husband Viktor Medvedchyuk.”

Ukraine war – day 54:

Two captured British fighters appear on Russian state TV, ask to be swapped;

Shaun Pinner & Aiden Aslin, asked British PM Johnson to help bring them home in exchange for Ukraine releasing pro-Russian & opposition leader Viktor Medvedchuk. pic.twitter.com/1CA9g82HAh

— @KassMedefer (@KMedefer) April 18, 2022

Shaun Pinner, 48, used to be a soldier in the British Army but relocated to Ukraine in 2018, where he served in the Ukrainian marines. Most recently, he had been fighting against Russian forces who invaded the country nearly two months ago.

But Pinner was captured by Russian soldiers and appeared in a short propaganda video aired by Russian media on Saturday night.

In the first video aired on Russian TV, he said: “Hi, I’m Shaun Pinner. I am a citizen of the UK. I was captured in Mariupol. I am part of the 36 Brigade First Battalion Ukrainian Marines.

“I was fighting in Mariupol for five to six weeks and now I’m in Donetsk People’s Republic.”

Breaking: former British soldier Shaun Pinner who previously served in Royal Anglian Regiment has been captured by Russian forces in Mariupol. pic.twitter.com/xPkyS2K7d8

— Global Thinker (@talkrealopinion) April 16, 2022

Pinner, from Bedfordshire, was fighting alongside his friend Aiden Aslin, who was also captured by Russian forces in Mariupol last week. Aslin, 28 and from Nottingham, was forced to surrender after running out of food and ammunition.

The pair appeared on the Rossiya 24 state television channel on Monday, and both spoke, although it is not clear if they were doing so under duress.

Images of Aslin have shown him in handcuffs, with damage to his eyes and forehead.

Pinner, who was most recently captured, moved to Ukraine four years ago and lived with his wife in Donbas.

In January, he told Mail on Sunday: “I am here defending my family and adopted city. Russia started this war. It’s funded by Russia and driven by Russia, but we will fight them, make no mistake about that.”

This week, his family have released a statement to say they are “currently working with the Foreign Office” along with the Aslin’s family.

Pinner’s family said they wanted to “ensure their rights as prisoners of war are upheld according to the Geneva Convention”, which requires humane treatment of anyone in enemy hands.

BREAKING: Two British fighters captured by Moscow's forces in Ukraine have appeared on Russian state TV and asked to be exchanged for a pro-Russian politician.

It was unclear how freely the two men, Shaun Pinner and Aiden Aslin, were able to talk.

More: https://t.co/SdeX5Z472e pic.twitter.com/6nBEX3sSGf

— Sky News (@SkyNews) April 18, 2022

Pinner considered Ukraine his “adopted country” and enjoyed the way of life, his family said. They noted how the soldier’s contract in the marines was due to end this year and that he was planning to enter a humanitarian role in Ukraine.

His family added that “Shaun is a funny, much loved well intentioned husband, son, father, brother and friend to many” and they hoped both men who had been captured would “return safely to their families” soon.

The news comes the same day that a fatal missile attack happened in Lviv in the west of Ukraine. Five missile strikes hit the city, leading to six deaths and eight injuries.

Ukrainian refugees have been fleeing to the city, which is about 70km from the border with Poland. The city has not seen a huge amount of fighting during the invasion, but there have been some airstrikes.

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