London, Thanasis Gavos
Appeal to Kremlin to respect the rights of second British ex-soldier that fell captive in the hands of the Russians in Ukraineaddressed his family.
THE 48-year-old Sean Pinera former soldier in the British Armed Forces, appeared depressed in Russian propaganda videos after his capture.
He first appeared on Sunday saying, “Hi, this is Sean Piner. I am a citizen of the United Kingdom. I was captured in Mariupol. I am a member of the First Battalion of the 36th Ukrainian Marine Brigade. “I fought in Mariupol for five to six weeks and now I am in the Donetsk People’s Republic.”
In the second mounted excerptthe Russian journalist who addresses questions to Piner is heard telling him that the Ukrainian commander of his unit sent him and his comrades to certain death to be portrayed as heroes by Ukrainian propaganda. He states ignorance and in an excerpt with subtitles and without sound by him he is said to have said that he was abandoned by the chiefs.
The family of the 48-year-old from Nottinghamshire said in a statement that Piner, who has lived in Donbas for the past four years with his Ukrainian wife, considers Ukraine his second home.
“At the end of 2022, his three-year contract (with the Ukrainian Marines) expires and he planned to join a humanitarian role in Ukraine. We would like to make it clear that he is neither a volunteer nor a mercenary, but is officially serving in the Ukrainian army in accordance with Ukrainian law. “Our family is currently working with the Foreign Office, along with the family of Eden Aslin, who is also being held by the Russian military, to ensure their rights as prisoners of war under the Geneva Convention,” the statement said.
Sean Piner had served with the British Army in Northern Ireland and in Bosnia and later fought against the so-called Islamic State in their ranks Syrian Democratic Forces.
He had spoken to the Daily Mail in January, admitting in the face of a possible war at the time that he was worried about being treated by the Russians because he was British.
He becomes the second Briton to serve in the Ukrainian forces captured by the Russians and appears in a propaganda video after 28-year-old Aslin.
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