British soldiers captured in Ukraine ‘should not have been there’, UK minister says
Shaun Pinner, 48, and Aiden Aslin, 28, have been taken captive by Russia

Chiara Giordano

UK minister claims captured British Prisoners of War 'should not have been there'

Two British fighters captured by Russian forces in Mariupol “should not have been there”, a UK minister has said - despite at least one of them officially serving in Ukraine’s army.

Shaun Pinner, 48, and Aiden Aslin, 28, appeared in separate videos on Russian state TV on Monday asking to be exchanged for a captured ally of Vladimir Putin held in Ukraine.

Asked on Sky News whether a possible swap was something the government would get involved with, Northern Ireland minister Brandon Lewis said: “We’re going through the process of sanctioning people who are close to Putin regime, we’re not going to be looking at how we can help Russia.

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“They shouldn’t have been there, it is an illegal act to be there. Obviously anybody would have sympathy with somebody who has been taken hostage but we have got to make sure that we follow proper processes.”

Mr Lewis, who said he did not want to comment on the specific situation of the two men, added: “We always have responsibility for British citizens, which we take seriously.

“We’ve got to get the balance right in Ukraine and that’s why I say to anybody: do not travel illegally to Ukraine. That is not the way to do it.”

<p>Aiden Aslin, 28, originally from Nottinghamshire, had been defending the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol</p>
Aiden Aslin, 28, originally from Nottinghamshire, had been defending the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol

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Both Britons are understood to have been living in Ukraine before it was invaded and had both been serving as marines in Ukraine’s military.

In Mr Pinner’s case, the Foreign Office issued a statement confirming this, adding he was neither a volunteer nor a mercenary.

It is not the case that he travelled to Ukraine to fight, which is what the UK government had previously warned about.

<p>Shaun Pinner was captured in Mariupol while fighting with Ukranian maries  </p>
Shaun Pinner was captured in Mariupol while fighting with Ukranian maries

Mr Pinner, a former Royal Anglian soldier who is originally from Bedfordshire, was captured in Mariupol while fighting with the Ukrainian marines, while Mr Aslin, originally from Nottinghamshire, had been defending the besieged city before having to surrender after running out of food and ammunition.

The two men asked prime minister Boris Johnson to help bring them home in exchange for Ukraine releasing pro-Russian politician and oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk, whose close friend Mr Putin is godfather to his youngest daughter Daryna.