Aiden Aslin, a former care worker from Newark, was captured by Russian forces whilst defending the city of Mariupol for the Ukrainian army. The 28-year-old has made national headlines during his battle against Vladimir Putin's forces.
He shared a number of video messages to his social media profiles, updating followers on the latest from the Ukrainian frontlines, before he was eventually captured and shown on Russian Media. Newark MP Robert Jenrick expressed concern about Mr Aslin's situation in Parliament and his mother Ang Wood told Nottinghamshire Live that she wants her "hero back".
2018
Mr Aslin moved to Ukraine in 2018, leaving his home town in Nottinghamshire due to what his mum described as his passion for travelling. It was there that he met the "love of his life", who he planned to marry in March this year.
Read more: Aiden Aslin's mum just wants her 'hero' son back home after he was captured by Russians
Mr Aslin, who previously fought with Kurdish armed units in Syria against so-called Islamic State, became a part of the Ukraine Marines shortly after moving to the country.
February 24, 2022
Hopes and dreams of settling down and starting a family were brought to an abrupt halt for Mr Aslin. Russia's president Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine and Mr Aslin was subsequently told to help defend his country.
March 22
Mr Aslin posted an update on social media as he attempts to help hold back Russian forces in the besieged city of Mariupol. "We still control the city. Ukrainians are fighting day and night. The will is tremendously strong and they are not going to be submitted by Russian imperialism," he said in a video, dressed in military gear.
He said that Ukrainian forces were defending the city on its outskirts and that Russia was continuing to target civilian areas. "I’ve watched multiple grad vehicles launch their rockets into the civilian areas behind us and this is the Russian military so if they’re as professional as they say they are then they know who they are targeting."
April 12
Mr Aslin said he had "no choice but to surrender to Russian forces" in Mariupol after Ukrainian marines became surrounded. Mum Ang said she was sent a short message from her son saying that he was surrendering.
Russia claimed more than 1,000 Ukrainian troops from the Ukrainian 36th Marine Brigade had surrendered in Mariupol, which is in ruins. Mariupol’s mayor had said about 21,000 civilians had been killed.
April 15
Reports surfaced that Mr Aslin was taken captive by Russian forces. Images on Russian television appeared to show him being led around in handcuffs with a cut on his forehead.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Ms Wood said she would hold Putin to the terms of the Geneva Convention and said her son "must be treated with humanity". “It already looks like he has been beaten up. It is time now for the British Government to get involved and help secure Aiden’s release," she said.
April 18
A 45-minute video was uploaded to YouTube during which Mr Aslin was questioned by Graham William Phillips, a man believed to be from Nottingham who has previously worked for the Kremlin-backed television channel RT and been accused of spreading Moscow’s propaganda.
During the film, Mr Aslin answers 'no' when asked several times if he is speaking under duress. Questioned by Mr Phillips, he recounts his time with the Ukrainian military and repeats several of Moscow’s propaganda lines, including that he is a mercenary and not a legitimate combatant.
April 20
Speaking during Prime Minister's Questions, Newark MP Robert Jenrick said Russia's treatment of Mr Aslin was a "flagrant breach of the Geneva Convention". He said: "Would my Right Honourable friend agree that this is a flagrant breach of the Geneva Convention, that treating any prisoner of war in this manner is illegal and the interviewer Graham Philips is in danger of prosecution for war crimes and that any online platform, such as YouTube, which hosts propaganda videos of this kind should take them down immediately.
Responding to Mr Jenrick, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "I think everybody will want to urge the Russian state to treat his constituent humanely and compassionately because in my view, although we do not encourage people to, in fact we actively dissuade people from going to that theatre of conflict, I understand he had been serving in the Ukrainian forces for some time and his situation was very different from that of a mercenary."
