Penny Wong echoes Anthony Albanese’s concerns after Oscar Jenkins appears in new video

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has raised her concerns to a top Russian official as fears grow over the welfare of an Australian man captured by Russia while fighting for Ukraine.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has echoed the PM’s concerns for the welfare of former Melbourne teacher Oscar Jenkins who was captured by Russia while fighting for Ukraine.

New video surfaced on Tuesday appearing to confirm the 32-year-old, previously feared dead, is alive.

But Anthony Albanese was not convinced of his wellbeing in Russian captivity.

“This would appear to confirm that (Mr Jenkins is alive),” the Prime Minister said on ABC radio.

“But we still hold serious concerns for Mr Jenkins’ welfare.”

Senator Wong on Friday also raised concerns about Jenkins’ with her Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of a G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in South Africa.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has raised her concerns for the welfare of Oscar Jenkins. Picture: AFP

Speaking from Johannesburg, Ms Wong acknowledged that Australia had halted engagement with Russian officials at senior levels since the invasion of Ukraine.

“I did however make an exception for that yesterday because I wanted to express very clearly to Mr Lavrov the importance of Oscar Jenkins’ condition,” she told ABC.

“I expressed to him the importance we associate with Mr Jenkins being treated appropriately, and Russia complying with its international legal obligations.”

Senator Wong remained tightlipped about the conversation but said Mr Lavrov “understood” Australia’s view.

“We’ve made it clear to Russia that Mr Jenkins is a prisoner of war and that there are obligations that kick-in in accordance with international humanitarian law and they must be observed,” Mr Albanese said.

An unverified video claiming to show Melbourne man Oscar Jenkins who was taken prisoner by Russian forces while fighting in Ukraine. Picture: YouTube

Jenkins listed in the Ukrainian defence forces and was captured late last year. Picture: YouTube

He added that the Australian Government had also made representations to Ukraine seeking help with Mr Jenkins’ case, confirming he had a one-on-one discussion with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the matter.

“We have called for Russia to release Mr Jenkins so that he can come home to his family,” he said.

Jenkins appeared in an unverified video uploaded to YouTube.

He enlisted in the Ukrainian defence forces and was captured late last year.

In the video, the man holding the camera — presumably holding Mr Jenkins captive — says it is January 17, 2025 and asks the Australian to introduce himself.

The Australian government has called for Mr Jenkins release. Picture: YouTube

Jenkins looked pale.

Mr Jenkins, who looks pale and is dressed in army fatigues, looks down the barrel of the camera and says, “My name is Oscar Jenkins. I come from Australia. I’m Australian.”

The man filming says Mr Jenkins is a “prisoner of war from the 66th Mechanised Brigade of the armed forces of Ukraine.”

He then asks the Australian to describe his health.

“I would like more freedom. I feel a bit weak,” Mr Jenkins responds. “I’ve lost a lot of weight. I have a broken arm still, I think, and my hand is not good.”

“But you are alive,” the man filming says. “So the information about your death is not right?”

“Correct,” Mr Jenkins affirms.

The man then instructs the Australian to remove his beanie, which he does.

“So everything is OK,” the man says. “He is alive and I think he will [be] better.”

The video ends as Mr Jenkins looks straight at the camera.

News of the teacher’s capture was reported in December last year and there were unconfirmed reports earlier this year that he was killed while being held as a prisoner of war.

However, foreign minister Penny Wong announced that Mr Jenkins was alive and in custody.

“We still hold serious concerns for Mr Jenkins as a prisoner of war,” she said at the time.

It is not known how long Mr Jenkins has been fighting in Ukraine.