Australia says Russia has confirmed that national Oscar Jenkins is alive. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had warned of severe consequences if reports he was killed after capture turned out to be true.

An Australian national who had been fighting in Ukraine and who was thought to have been killed by Russian forces after his capture is still alive, according to Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong.

Video footage of Oscar Jenkins appearing to be interrogated and struck by Russian soldiers emerged in December. This was then followed by reports earlier this month that he had been killed following his capture.

Russia says Australian ‘alive and in custody’

“The Australian government has received confirmation from Russia that Oscar Jenkins is alive and in custody,” Wong said in a statement and added: “We still hold serious concerns for Mr. Jenkins as a prisoner of war.”

“The government calls on Russia to release Mr. Jenkins,” Wong said.

“If Russia does not provide Mr. Jenkins the protections he is entitled to under international humanitarian law, our response will be unequivocal,” she said.

“We have made clear to Russia in Canberra and in Moscow that Mr. Jenkins is a prisoner of war and Russia is obligated to treat him in accordance with international humanitarian law, including humane treatment.”

Reports of Jenkins’ death unconfirmed

Earlier this month, Wong had said the Australian government was working to confirm the report of Jenkins’ killing.

At the time it was reported that Jenkins may have been killed by Russian forces, Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warned that his government “will take the strongest action possible.”

Moscow said then that it was “not aware” if Australia had raised the specific case with its foreign ministry, but said foreigners fighting with Ukraine were “legal targets” for Russian troops.

“We are well aware that foreign mercenaries are taking part in the conflict on the side of the Kyiv regime,” Dmitry Peskov told reporters, without confirming or denying whether reports of Jenkins’ reported death were true.