Australia demands Russians free soldier Oscar Jenkins after confirmation he is alive

Myroshnychenko had expressed doubts in recent days about claims that Jenkins had been killed while in captivity, saying he believed they may have been part of a Russian disinformation effort.

Asked whether the government believed Jenkins was alive, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told the ABC on Wednesday afternoon: “I’m reticent to confirm that that is the case, but certainly that has been the statement made by Russian authorities through to our Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials as well.

“So if that is the case, it certainly would be welcome.”

Albanese said Australian officials were “seeking further confirmation and details” on the matter.

Maurice Clayton, who played cricket with Jenkins for over a decade in Melbourne, said he was lost for words after hearing the “amazing” update on Wednesday.

“I think everyone holds hope that the reports are true, that he remains safe and can return to Australia safely at some point,” he said.

Clayton, who had not spoken to Jenkins family directly, said he could only imagine how devastating the past few months must have been for them.

“What they and Oscar have endured is truly unimaginable,” he said.

When reports emerged of Jenkins’ supposed death emerged this month, the Australian government said it was urgently seeking to confirm whether Jenkins had died.

Foreign soldiers who fought alongside Jenkins with the Ukrainian army told this masthead and others earlier this month they believed he had been executed by Russian forces and were mourning his passing.

Jenkins’ plight first came to light when footage began circulating online on December 22, showing him in Russian captivity with his hands tied being paraded before a camera by Russian soldiers.

He was seen being slapped across the face and questioned.

In the video, Jenkins, speaking in English and broken Ukrainian, explained he had been fighting in the Donbas region to help Ukraine.

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Jenkins attended Melbourne Grammar School, studied biomedical sciences at Monash University and had been working as a lecturer at a Tianjin college in China.