British man captured by Russian forces while ‘fighting for Ukraine’ jailed for 13 years
Brit who fought for Ukraine jailed in Russia
- British man Hayden Davies has been sentenced to 13 years in a Russian maximum security prison camp after being convicted of fighting with the Ukrainian army.
- Russian prosecutors accused Davies, 30, of being a "paid mercenary" who fought in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, where he was tried by a court in Russian-controlled territory.
- Davies was captured in winter 2024 after arriving in western Ukraine in August 2024 to join the International Legion for the Defence of Ukraine.
- The British Foreign Office stated Davies is not a mercenary but a Prisoner of War, entitled to protection under the Geneva Conventions, and condemned Russia's exploitation of POWs.
- In a Russian propaganda video, Davies claimed he was removed from the British Army in 2023, struggled to find work, and was critical of Ukrainian commanders, stating they "don't care about you".