Another Briton captured by Russia in Ukraine urges UK PM Johnson to facilitate his release

Anor British man, who h been fighting Russia as part of Azov Regiment, was reportedly held by authorities of separatist region-- Donetsk People's Republic (DPR). confirmation came when John Harding, who is in his 50s, posted a video on a social messaging application, where he pleed with outgoing UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to approach Russian he to save his life. video was originally recorded during an interview with a Russian TV. In video, he claimed to be killed by Russians "if his freedom would not be secured by PM Johnson within a limited time frame." 

"I would say to Boris Johnson if you can help, if you can influence President Zelenskiy, if you can influence president of Donetsk People’s Republic, or if you can influence President Putin, n please do. People’s lives depend on this. So if you can, please help," Guardian quoted Harding as saying during interview. According to media reports, it is believed that British man was apprehended in May while he was fighting against Russian troops in Ukraine's Mariupol. He was reportedly associated with Azov Regiment-- a part of Ukrainian National Guard. His arrest came when Ukrainian soldiers defending city were forced to surrender after Russians launched a massive attack. Harding's family members told BBC that he h been fighting in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region since 2018. 

Briton died in 'Russian captivity'

Earlier in April, a British national, Paul Urey, 45, was detained by separatist authorities along with anor British man, Dylan Healy. duo got arrested when y were helping Ukrainians in evacuation process since onset of brutal Russian aggression. According to Daria Morozova, human rights ombudswoman for Moscow, both were detained in April at a checkpoint near Zaporizhzhia, some 470 kilometres souast of Kyiv. On Friday, July 15, UK Foreign Ministry confirmed that Urey died in custody. 

Presidium Network co-founder Dominik Byrne said Urey h diabetes and needed a regular supply of insulin and accused separatist authorities of ignoring medical requirements of British aid worker. "It’s obvious that his welfare was not looked after. Russian authorities and Donetsk People’s Republic knew he h need of insulin but all way through this Red Cross has denied welfare access to him and has never been able to verify his actual conditions in prison," said Byrne. He furr said that multiple agencies including UK government and Red Cross h been involved in release of Urey, "but all went in vain". Besides Urey, two or British men, Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner, who were also arrested in Mariupol, were sentenced to death by a Russian proxy court in DPR in June. 

Image: AP