John Harding, a British citizen captured in Ukraine as part of the fighting in the Donetsk region (east), asked British Prime Minister Boris Johnson for help. and warned that he could be sentenced to death like two other UK citizens accused of being “mercenaries”.
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Harding appeared in a video in which he is interviewed by a Russian journalist and in which he confirms that he was part of the neo-Nazi Azov Battalion and that has been fighting in the Donbas region since 2018. In this region are the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, the scene of an armed conflict since 2014.
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“I would say to Boris Johnson if he can help, if he can influence President Zelensky, if he can influence the President of Donetsk or if he can influence President Putin, do it. People’s lives depend on this. So if you can please help, because otherwise I face the death penalty, my friends face the death penalty.” assured in the video.
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🇬🇧 British mercenary John Harding cries and addresses Boris Johnson. He was taken prisoner at Azovstal in Mariupol. pic.twitter.com/Y3RWzQhLJx
— Alexander Bunin (@abunin) July 16, 2022
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Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of these republics in February and days later he announced the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine, unleashed on February 24 and which to date has left thousands dead and nearly nine million displaced.
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The man, originally from the city of Sunderland, was captured in May during the seizure of the Azovstal steelworks, located in Mariupol (southeast)after several weeks of offensive and siege against the city by Russian forces and militias of the Donetsk People’s Republic, according to the British television network BBC.
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Harding himself had previously stated in statements to the BBC that he had traveled to the Ukraine to use his knowledge as a military doctor, while he had told his friends that he was fighting as part of the National Guard. Relatives of Harding confirmed that it is indeed he who appears in the video.
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‼️🇬🇧🏴☠️ Another British mercenary captured by Russia – BBC
This is John Harding, a 59-year-old veteran of the 1982 Falklands War and a participant in the Syrian war with the Kurds. For a few years he has been a militant paramedic in the Azov “Navoz” Regiment. pic.twitter.com/jaQUVIU49V
– In the Rear (@pueblopatriota) July 17, 2022
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For his part, a spokesman for the British Foreign Office said that is “supporting” the family and has shown his “concern” about the detention. “We condemn the exploitation of detainees for political purposes and we have transferred this to Russia. We are in constant contact with the Government of Ukraine on these cases and fully support Ukraine in its efforts to secure their release,” he assured.
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The recording was published a few days after the death of British citizen Paul Urey, who was in the custody of pro-Russian separatists in Donetsk. Likewise, the British Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner, captured in Mariúpol, were sentenced to death in June along with the Moroccan Sadun Brahim for allegedly being “mercenaries” hired by Ukraine.
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According to the Russian authorities, almost seven thousand foreigners from more than 60 countries have joined the Ukrainian forces to participate in the conflict since its beginning at the end of February, almost five months ago.
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(With information from Europa Press y Aristegui News)
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