Russia parades British POW on state TV - as he faces 30 years in ‘hellhole’ jail

James Scott Rhys Anderson, 22, was seen bent treble alongside an equipped defender arsenic helium was hauled from his detention compartment to look interrogation by the dictator’s propagandists.

In a intelligibly stage-managed appearance, the erstwhile British service worker was made to basal with an anonymous Black Sea marines commandant who allegedly captured him.

Anderson, from Banbury successful Oxfordshire, was held by Russian forces past play and is charged with warring for Ukraine.
His household backmost location person expressed fears helium could beryllium tortured.

He is besides accused of terrorism, being a mercenary, invading Russia, and committing transgression acts against the civilian population.
If recovered guilty, helium could walk 30 years successful a Siberian penal colony.

“I deliberation my aboriginal is I walk a batch of clip here…in Russia,” Anderson told Russian television.

“I'm not definite erstwhile I'll ever spell home. It could be, if I'm lucky, possibly my authorities would help.

“But truthfully, it's going to be…20 to 30 years I'm going to walk successful Russia due to the fact that I decided it was a bully thought to assistance Ukraine.”

He told however helium had ignored his ain household erstwhile they told him not to instrumentality to Ukraine.

“All the clip erstwhile I'm successful my cell, I'm ever reasoning astir however my mum and dada said ‘Don't spell back, don't spell back’,” helium told state-funded Readovka propaganda outlet.

"I wish, I privation I ne'er did.”

He said of his family: “They knew that I was successful Ukraine. I don't cognize if they cognize wherever I americium now.”

Anderson besides told authorities quality bureau RIA Novosti that it was incorrect for Ukraine, backed by the West, to invade Russia’s Kursk region, wherever helium surrendered.

“We shouldn’t beryllium present - the Russians truly don’t privation america here,” helium said.

“They person a batch much weapons, a batch much manpower. They volition bash everything to get you out.

“If you’re lucky, you’re captured, but you’re going to walk 20 oregon 30 years successful a Russian prison, which itself is not nice.
“So those are your options.

“You’re going to beryllium determination for a mates of weeks if you bash negociate to past the full clip there. It’s not worthy it.”

He added: “Most of the clip it’s family, I’m reasoning astir my family. I’ve got a tribunal day successful 2 months.

“I’m reasoning astir however agelong I’ll get. I cognize it’s going to beryllium a agelong time. Back of my mind, possibly I’m hoping that my authorities someway volition get maine out, which I uncertainty is ever going to happen.

“But it’s each hopes for the future.”

A Russian platoon commandant suggested Anderson had been successful complaint of Ukrainian troops erstwhile they surrendered alternatively than look being stormed.

Earlier it was reported that each but 2 - Anderson and a Ukrainian - were killed.

The UK Foreign Office is successful interaction with the erstwhile British soldier’s household arsenic it seeks his release.