A Russian court has sentenced a British citizen to 19 years in prison for fighting for Ukraine as a mercenary as well as committing a “terrorist act” in Kursk Region.
In a statement on Wednesday, Russia’s Investigative Committee said that James Scott Rhys Anderson, 22, “took direct part in the armed conflict on the territory of the Russian Federation for material compensation.”
The suspect, it added, invaded Russia’s territory together with Ukrainian forces last November. Anderson “committed crimes against the civilian population” in Kursk Region, the committee said, accusing the Briton of causing significant property damage and attempting to destabilize the government’s activities. Officials have not provided any further details on the specifics of the charges.
According to the committee, Anderson is expected to serve his first five years in prison and the remainder in a maximum-security penal colony in Siberia.
The suspect previously claimed that Ukrainian commanders had forced him to enter Russia, adding that they had taken away his identification papers and cell phone. He also stated that he had served in the UK military as a signals operator between 2019 and 2023 before deciding to join Kiev’s foreign legion. According to Anderson, once he arrived in the country, he was mainly involved in training local military personnel.