Media reports British mercenary gets caught in Russia’s Kursk
Date
11/26/2024 6:36:16 AM
(MENAFN) A 22-year-old former British army signalman, James Scott Rhys Anderson, has reportedly been captured by Russian forces in the Kursk region while fighting with the Ukrainian International Legion, a group of foreign fighters considered mercenaries by Moscow. According to Russian media outlets RIA Novosti and TASS, Anderson was detained near the village of Plekhovo, located about 5 kilometers inside Russian territory, with several interrogation videos being circulated on Russian Telegram channels.
Anderson, who served in the British Army from 2019 to 2023 as a signalman in the 1st Signal Brigade, 22 Signal Regiment, 252 Squadron, said that after leaving the military and facing personal struggles, including financial difficulties, he decided to join the Ukrainian foreign legion after seeing an advertisement on TV. Describing his decision as a "stupid idea," he explained that he had lost everything, including his job and his father’s incarceration.
Anderson claimed in his interrogation that he was sent to Russian soil against his will by his commanders, who had taken his passport and phone, forcing him to comply. The UK Ministry of Defense declined to comment on his capture, while the Foreign Office confirmed it is offering support to his family. Anderson's capture follows the recent death of another British man fighting for Ukraine, highlighting the perilous nature of the conflict for foreign fighters.
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