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Russia jails Briton it accuses of fighting for Ukraine in Kursk
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 5, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 25, 2026
Global Banking & Finance Review®
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Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 5, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 25, 2026
James Scott Rhys Anderson, a British man, received a 19-year sentence in Russia for fighting in Ukraine. He faced charges of terrorism and mercenary activities.
MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Russian court jailed a British man for 19 years on Wednesday after he was found guilty of fighting for Ukraine in the Kursk region of western Russia.
The court said James Scott Rhys Anderson, 22, had been charged with terrorist and mercenary offences and found guilty after a closed trial at which a Ukrainian soldier from the same unit was questioned as a witness.
Anderson was sentenced to serve the first five years of his term in prison and the remainder in a penal colony, the court said.
Ukrainian troops broke across the border into Kursk region on August 6 last year, and still hold some territory there seven months later, despite attempts by Russian forces to eject them.
Investigators accused Anderson of illegally crossing into Kursk in November as part of an armed group that committed unspecified "criminal acts against civilians".
Russian state media published video showing him being led in handcuffs and locked in a cage of the kind where defendants in Russian court cases are placed.
After he was captured, a pro-war Russian social media channel published a recording of an interrogation in which Anderson said he had served in the British army from 2019-2023 before deciding to join the foreign legion of Ukraine's armed forces, something he called a "stupid idea".
(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Gareth Jones)
James Scott Rhys Anderson was accused of fighting for Ukraine and charged with terrorist and mercenary offences.
Anderson was sentenced to 19 years in prison, with the first five years to be served in a regular prison and the remainder in a penal colony.
Ukrainian troops broke across the border into the Kursk region on August 6 last year and still hold some territory there seven months later.
Investigators accused Anderson of illegally crossing into Kursk as part of an armed group that committed unspecified 'criminal acts against civilians'.
Russian state media published video footage showing Anderson being led in handcuffs and placed in a cage typical for defendants in Russian court cases.
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