Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Will Stewart & Matthew Dresch

British fighter captured by Vladimir Putin's forces and paraded on Russian state TV

Another British fighter has been captured in Ukraine and paraded on Russian TV.

He was named as Andrew Hill, a father of four from Plymouth, and appeared to be wounded with a head bandage and his left arm in a sling.

The fighter said he had received first aid from Russian soldiers.

The Mirror has chosen not to publish the footage or any images from it.

It comes after another Brit, Scott Sibley, was killed in Ukraine and two of his fellow countrymen, Shaun Pinner and Aiden Aslin, were captured by Russian forces.

Looking weak and fearing for his safety, Hill was subjected to an interrogation on Rossiya 1 state TV and when he asked how long he would be held before being allowed back to England, was informed: “I can't tell you anything about that, but you can rest assured you're safe.”

The channel said: “Andrew Hill laid down his arms and surrendered to the Russian military in the Mykolaiv region, after the group of mercenaries in which he fought was defeated and he himself was injured.”

Ukraine has repeatedly denied that is has used 'mercenaries' to repel Russian forces.

The country's former defence minister said there is no “legal mechanism” in Ukraine allowing mercenaries to be recruited.

Hill was used to trumpet a Russian message when asked: "What would you like to say to other Englishmen who decide to go to Ukraine?”

He replied: “They need to really think about it, this doesn’t involve us.”

He was asked: “Where are you from? What city?

He replied: “Plymouth.”

In other exchanges, he was asked: “Do you have a wife.”

“I have an ex-wife.”

“Your parents, do they know that you are here?”

“My dad’s dead, my dad died on new year’s eve this year.”

“What about your mother?”

“Well, I don’t have the relationship with her.”

“Is there anybody else who can care about you?”

"My children, I have four children, and I do have a partner whom I’m dating now.”

“Did you have any weapon assigned to you?”

“Yes, I was carrying a CZ.”

He said he was in a group of seven when he was held.

“I actually have no idea who they was.”

“How was the communication with you, between your group and the Ukrainians organised? Who was giving you orders or something?”

“I was not involved in that, but the information we get was very minimal, we don’t really get told very much at all if anything.”

He said he has crossed the border in Shezhuv, Poland.

“I flew there on my own and went to the border myself,” he said.

He was asked how much he was paid - and said nothing.

“They didn’t pay me,” he said.

Russia has been accused of shelling civilian neighbourhoods in Ukraine (AFP via Getty Images)

“They said they haven’t paid me but [inaudible] no-one’s been paid.”

“Did you have any documents with you?”

“I had my passport.”

“Passport, we will find it now.”

“Where is it now?”

"I don’t know. When your soldiers [inaudible] …”

“Am I safe?”

“Yes, you’re safe, don’t worry.”

Want all the latest news and analysis from Ukraine? Sign up to our World News Bulletin here

“How will this work, how long will [inaudible] passed to England? “

“I absolutely cannot say right now how long it’s going to take but you can be sure that nothing dangerous to your life [will happen].”

“What about [shows his arm], will I be sent to hospital?”

“Yes, you will be taken care of.”

“Who treated your gunshot wound?”

“Your soldiers.”

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.