A court in Kursk arrested a British prisoner

The court in Kursk arrested British James Anderson, who was captured by Russian troops in the Kursk region, reports the official news agency TASS with reference to the joint press service of the region’s judicial system. The court session was held in closed session.

The Russian authorities accuse Anderson of illegally crossing the state border of Russia and participating in hostilities as part of the Armed Forces of the Kursk Region.

A video of Anderson in military uniform appeared on Russian pro-government Telegram channels over the weekend. Subsequently, TASS reported about the captured Englishman with reference to a source in the Ministry of Defense. A video was published with a fragment of his interrogation, where he says that he served in the International Legion of the Armed Forces.

Russian authorities call Legion employees mercenaries and bring criminal charges against them. During interrogation, Anderson says that he used to serve in the British army, and went to Ukraine after losing his job. It is not known under what conditions the video of the interrogation was recorded, and whether the prisoner was under pressure.

The father of 22-year-old Anderson, who confirmed his identity to journalists, also fears that his son may be tortured in captivity, the Independent reports. He said that James Anderson went to fight in Ukraine because he wanted to help the Ukrainian people. His family allegedly dissuaded him from going to war.

Ukraine did not comment on the situation with the captured Briton. The Guardian notes that, if Anderson was indeed captured in the Kursk region, he became the first Ukrainian military officer from a Western country to be captured on Russian territory. The British government promised to “do everything possible” to help the prisoner, the newspaper reported.