Two British prisoners of war appeared on Russian television to ask British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to arrange an exchange of prisoners with a key Ukrainian ally of Vladimir Putin, who has been detained for treason.
Sean Piner and Aidan Aslin – both UK nationals captured during a fight for Ukraine’s Marines – have appeared separately to call for an exchange with pro-Russian politician Viktor Medvedchuk, who was also filmed by Ukrainians calling for a similar call. his friend Putin on Monday.
It was unclear how freely the British detainees could speak when asked on the state-run Russia 24 television channel.
“If Boris Johnson is really interested, as he says he is doing for British citizens, then he would help with the pressure. [Ukraine President Volodymyr] Zelenski to do the right thing and bring Victor back to his family and bring us back to our families, “said 28-year-old Aslin from Nottinghamshire.
He and Piner were shown a video of Medvedchuk’s TV presenter’s wife, Oksana Marchenko, begging for her husband’s safe return.
“I understand the situation,” said Piner, 48, who looked tired and nervous.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky (right) and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (left) walk during a meeting in central Kyiv on April 9, 2022. The Ukrainian president’s press center through the AP television for the exchange of prisoners.
“We want to exchange ourselves and Aiden Aslin for Mr Medvedchuk,” he told the leader of Ukraine’s pro-Russian opposition Platform for Life, who is accused of escaping house arrest days after Russia’s invasion.
“I would like to turn to [British] the government to send me back home, I would like to see my wife again, “said Piner, a veteran of the British Army in Bedfordshire.
At the same time, Ukrainian security services released a video of Medvedchuk asking his friend Putin, the godfather of one of his children, to organize an exchange as well.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, Ukraine, on April 9, 2022. Ukrainian Presidency / ABACA / INSTA Office through the AP British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has detained the Russian oligarch on charges of treason. EPA / PRESIDENTIAL PRESIDENTIAL SERVICE OF UKRAINE
Looking directly into the camera, the oligarch asked Putin and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky to “exchange me for Ukrainian defenders and residents of Mariupol,” the besieged port city where both Britons were captured.
Medvedchuk – named by Forbes last year as Ukraine’s 12th richest man for $ 620 million – has been under house arrest since last May on charges of treason.
In January, the United States also accused Medvedchuk of participating in Russian intelligence efforts to prepare friendly Ukrainian politicians to take control of the country with the support of the occupying forces.
British “mercenary” Sean Piner has reportedly been captured in Mariupol by Russian troops and detained in the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic. Andrey Rudenko / e2w
According to Ukrainian police, he escaped from house arrest a few days after Putin invaded Ukraine in late February.
In her appeals, Marchenko, a former X-Factor Ukraine TV star, said she was convinced her husband had been beaten and “persecuted for political reasons”.
Russia has said it will closely monitor Medvedchuk’s fate, and last week told Ukraine to “be careful” after Kyiv captured him and released photos of him in handcuffs.
The British Foreign Office did not immediately comment on the footage on Monday, but issued a statement from the Piner family.
“Our family is currently working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs together with the family of Aidan Aslin, who is also held by the Russian army to ensure that their rights as prisoners of war are respected under the Geneva Convention,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, an Instagram page created by Aslin’s friends says, “The only good thing about these propaganda videos is that they show how our boys react to relatively recent events, so that’s fair proof of life.”
With postal wires
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