Russian ambassador Alexey Pavlovsky seen for first time since Oscar Jenkins ‘death’
Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton have given a bipartisan threat of the ‘strongest possible action’ against the Kremlin if Oscar Jenkins is confirmed to have been executed by Russian forces.
Russian Ambassador to Australia Alexey Pavlovsky has refused to confirm or deny whether Australian fighter Oscar Jenkins has been killed by the Russian military, as he faces renewed calls to confirm the status of the Melbourne-based fighter now feared dead.
On Friday Mr Pavlovsky, when approached by The Australian, ignored questions as to whether Mr Jenkins had been killed, and was later was snuck out of a back door of the Russian embassy in an attempt to avoid further questioning over the state of the 32-year-old.
Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton have given a bipartisan threat of the “strongest possible action” against the Kremlin if Mr Jenkins is confirmed to have been executed by Russian forces following his capture in the Donbas region in Ukraine’s east.
Reports emerged on Tuesday (AEDT) that the body of the Melbourne private school teacher had been found three weeks after video emerged of his interrogation by a Russian-speaking man.
A video has also emerged online warning Australian soldiers that if they join Ukrainian forces in the war against Russia they will be killed.
Kateryna Argyrou, co chair of the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations, called on Mr Pavlovsky and the Russian government to come clean about Mr Jenkins’ welfare.
“It is profoundly distressing that we still do not know what has happened to Oscar Jenkins,” she said.
“The Russian Ambassador and government should have provided this information immediately, but this sort of behaviour from Russian authorities is no surprise.
“Australia sought answers from the Russian government following the downing of MH17 but got only lies, disinformation and non co-operation. We need to know what has happened – and we need to bring Oscar home.”
On January 13 Mr Pavlovsky was hauled into the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade at the behest of Foreign Minister Penny Wong “to seek information and reiterate Australia’s expectations that Russia will comply with its obligations under international law”.
It was the second time he had been hauled before DFAT over the capture of Mr Jenkins, the first Australian combatant reportedly captured by Russian forces in Ukraine.
If confirmed dead, he would also be the first Australian prisoner of war to have died since 1951.
At least six other Australians have died on the front lines during the war in Ukraine.
The development comes as a video emerged online warning Australian soldiers that if they joined Ukrainian forces in the war against Russia they would be killed.
The confronting post, uploaded to social media platform Telegram, comes amid reports that Mr Jenkins was executed by Russian forces after being captured while fighting for the Ukrainian International Legion.
Piles of dead bodies can be seen in the 17-second clip as a voice issues a stern warning to Australians that if they decide to team up with Ukrainian soldiers they will suffer the same fate.
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