The family of a Briton who was allegedly captured by Russian forces during the fighting in Ukraine described the footage with him in captivity as “propaganda” and asked Vladimir Putin to “treat him humanely.”
Images on Russian television appear to show that 28-year-old Aiden Aslin, a native of Nottinghamshire, is being handcuffed with a cut on his forehead.
Aslin, who is believed to have fought the Ukrainian Marines, told his family days ago that they had “no choice but to surrender” because they ran out of weapons.
A Russian state television channel aired footage originally shared on social media showing Aslin in captivity.
His grandmother, Pamela Hall, said Friday: “This is propaganda. Ukraine is his adopted country. He is engaged to a Ukrainian woman, living together.
“He was due to get married this month and they were talking about creating a new home together, children – great-grandchildren in my case.”
Ang Wood, the British mother, called on the Kremlin to treat her son as a prisoner of war in accordance with international rules and for the British government to “overthrow Putin”.
Wood told the BBC: “He called me and said they didn’t have weapons to fight. I love my son, he is my hero. They gave a hell of a fight. Boris [Johnson] Putin must be removed. “
She said she recognized her son from photos published in Russia because of his distinctive tattoos. “This is Aiden, I can’t deny it. He is, “she said. “I am in pieces. My son will be as scared as we are. ”
She added: “I now hold Vladimir Putin on the terms of the Geneva Convention. Aiden is an employee of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and as such is a prisoner of war and should be treated humanely.
“It simply came to our notice then. Now is the time for the British government to get involved and help Aiden’s release.
Aslin defended the besieged city of Mariupol with his unit during heavy fighting in recent weeks. But after 48 days, he said he had to surrender.
“We have no food or ammunition,” said a post on his Twitter account. “It was a pleasure for everyone – I hope this war is over soon.”
Writing on Twitter about a photo of Aslin in captivity with a swollen eyelid and a bruised forehead, a friend posted: “Shabby vomiting also struck him. We will keep an eye on him every day until he is exchanged. “
The UK Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not yet commented.
Aslin claims to have joined the Ukrainian Marines in 2018, four years after Russia’s annexation of Crimea. Earlier, Aslin had been fighting for the Syrian Kurdish YPG against Islamic State for about a year since the spring of 2015.
He returned to Britain the following year and was arrested by Nottinghamshire police under counter-terrorism law, as was routine for foreign fighters returning from Syria.
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