Oscar Jenkins: Friends of Australian teacher captured by Russian ...

Russia’s ambassador to Australia has been summoned to give answers about the welfare of an Australian man reportedly detained by Russian forces after being captured near the frontlines in Ukraine.

Alexey Pavlovsky was called into the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Monday afternoon after a video emerged of Melbourne man Oscar Jenkins being beaten and interrogated by two men claiming to be Russian soldiers.

Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said DFAT was investigating the “concerning” footage and that the Government would make “appropriate representations.”

Acting Foreign Minister Mark Dreyfus urged Russia to comply with international law as the Government worked to establish the location and wellbeing of biology teacher Mr Jenkins, 32, who was seen in the video bound and dirty as an unseen assailant hits him across the head.

“We urge the Russian government to full adhere to its obligations under international humanitarian law, including with respect to prisoners of war,” said Mr Dreyfus in a statement.

Consular support was being offered to Mr Jenkins’ family, he said, underscoring “the Government’s clear advice to all Australians – do not travel to Ukraine.”

It is understood the Russian Ambassador will be quizzed by Australian officials about Mr Jenkins’ current condition and where he is being held.

Officials will stress that Russia should not break international law in its treatment of him. Australia’s ongoing objections to Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine are expected to be raised.

Both Russia and Australia are parties to the 1949 Geneva Convention which sets out rules for the treatment of prisoners of war, including that they are protected from violence.

The horrifying video first emerged on a pro-Russian Telegram channel on Sunday, showing Mr Jenkins with fear in his eyes and a grime-covered face, being beaten and interrogated by two men who claim to be Russian soldiers.

Friends have expressed grave concerns for his wellbeing.

As he is hit across the face, Mr Jenkins says: “I’m Australian,” blinking at the camera.

“Well, go on, f***. Who the f*** are you?” on of the Russians demands. “Name.”

Oscar Jenkins in the video of his interrogation by Russian soldiers. Credit: X/supplied

Shifting between English and tentative Russian, the Australian answers: “Oscar... my name is Oscar. Oscar Jenkins. 32-years-old. I live in Australia and Ukraine,” adding that he is a teacher.

“You’re a teacher. What are you doing here?” the Russian replies. Here is Kramatorsk, almost 700 kilometres east of Kyiv, in the thick of the Ukraine battlegrounds.

“I’m a soldier,” Mr Jenkins replies. A gloved hand juts out from behind the camera and hits the Australian over the head again.

Mr Jenkins is not the first Australian to make his way onto the front lines in Ukraine, but he is believed to be the first Australian combatant captured by Russian forces in the under siege country.

His plight has raised fears Moscow will seize on the opportunity to parade him for propaganda purposes and could seek to engage in hostage diplomacy.

A Russian agent who calls himself the Aussie Cossack and who has been holed up in the Sydney consulate for two years to dodge an arrest warrant for allegedly assaulting a 76-year-old man at a pro-Ukraine rally has already offered himself up in a potential prisoner swap.

Simeon Boikov, gloated on social media about the capture of Oscar Jenkins, calling it “excellent news” that had prompted celebrations at the consulate.

“Thank you to the Russian military. Glory to the Russian military,” he said in a video. “Now we have an Australian prisoner, finally.”

The only way “mercenary” Oscar Jenkins would avoid “35 years in a gulag” was if the Australian Government agreed to a prisoner exchange deal, said a buoyant Mr Boikov.

“I’m volunteering my candidacy. I’m happy to put myself forward, and I’m sure the Russians will be happy to accept ... me because I’ve been sitting in this Russian consulate for two years waiting for this moment.”

Who is Oscar Jenkins

Mr Jenkins was once a student at a prestigious Melbourne high school, a talented athlete, a biology student, and a university lecturer.

The 32-year-old graduated from the elite Melbourne Grammar School in 2010 before studying at Monash University. He then moved to China to study biology in 2015 and, according to LinkedIn, he has been a university lecturer for seven years.

An old friend described Mr Jenkins to The Herald Sun as a well-liked guy and a talented athlete with a “big heart”.

“I think we’re all a bit shocked to see what has happened to Oscar in Ukraine,” the friend said.

“It’s awful to see an old school friend being held prisoner, seeing him in military clothing being detained is really disturbing.”

Oscar Jenkins, back row right, poses with his Toorak-Prahran Cricket Club. Credit: Toorak-Prahran Cricket Club/inst/supplied

The friend said his Australian friends had heard nothing from him since he left the country; but that they did not know what could have prompted him to leave China to fight in Ukraine.

A Ukrainian security source told News Corp Australia’s NewsWire that Mr Jenkins was fighting as part of the International Legion of Defence of Ukraine, a loose coalition of ex-soldiers and volunteer fighters drawn from other nations that was established shortly after Russia’s invasion.

Mr Jenkins reportedly returned to Australia in February this year for the 10-year reunion of his premiership-winning team Toorak Prahran Cricket Club.

Melbourne man Oscar Jenkins. Credit: Unknown/X

President Neil Gumley described the top-order batsman was in “good spirits” and gave no indication he was about to head into a war zone.

Mr Jenkins’ school friend said their thoughts were particularly with his family with the footage emerging so close to Christmas, and hoped their old schoolmate could “get to safety as soon as possible”.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s response

The disturbing footage has sent authorities scrambling to get support for the 32-year-old.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the embassy in Moscow were investigating the “concerning” footage.

He said the government would make “appropriate representations”.

“We always look after Australians,” he said.

“That’s the job of an Australian government — to make representations for Australian citizens.”

‘Now we have an Australian prisoner, finally’: Russia celebrates

Pro-Russian supporters have taken glee in Mr Jenkins’s apparent capture, with one of the most infamous pro-Putin activist thanking the military for ensnaring Mr Jenkins.

Simeon Boikov, known as the Aussie Cossack on his own Telegram channel, said the capture was “excellent news” and urged the Russian military to use the biology teacher so they could do a prisoner swap deal.

Boikov has taken refuge inside the Russian embassy in Sydney for the past two years and offered himself up as the swap for the “Australian mercenary”.

“Now we have an Australian prisoner, finally,’’ Boikov posted.

He said though the Russian militants had clearly been “hitting him a little bit” in the video, they would keep him alive “because we need him”.

“We can do a prisoner exchange deal,” Boikov said.

“The only way Oscar Jenkins is going to avoid 35 years in a Gulag is if the Australian Government agrees to a prisoner exchange deal and guess what, I’m volunteering my candidacy....’’

“Literally it’s been two years and finally ... I think, I hope, I’m going to make it to Russia. Let’s do a deal Albanese, let’s get your Oscar Jenkins back...

“Glory to the Russian military, thank you very much for doing this and keeping him alive. Keep him alive, don’t kill him, don’t torture him.’’

Mr Boikov said he had been in contact with his lawyer to attempt to make an arrangement with the federal government.

The pro-Putin activist holed up in the Sydney consulate after a warrant issued for his arrest over the assault of a 76-year-old man at a rally in support of Ukraine at Sydney’s Town Hall in 2022.