A former British soldier captured by Russia while fighting for Ukraine has been sentenced to 13 years in prison.
Hayden William Davies, 30, was dubbed a ‘mercenary’ by a court in the Russian-controlled ‘Donetsk People’s Republic’, in occupied Ukraine.
The Southampton-born fighter will serve his sentence in a ‘strict regime penal colony’ in Russia.
In a statement, the court said: ‘The court established that in August 2024, Davis arrived in the city of Ternopil, Ukraine, where he signed a contract with the International Legion of Defence of Ukraine.
‘After undergoing military training at training bases, he mastered the necessary skills to participate in armed conflict and was provided with a personal firearm. After that, as a soldier, Davis took part in hostilities against the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation on the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic.’
Davies was captured by Russian forces in Teretsk, Donetsk region, last winter.
When asked by the court if he pleaded guilty, he only replied ‘Yes.’
He appears to have a growth on his left eyelid which has grown larger since his capture, and has not treated by Russian medics.
In August, it was reported that Davies had been taken to Moscow after his arrest, but the secret trial was in Donetsk.
In a Russian military video after his capture, the POW said he was kicked out of the UK army in 2023 for ‘smoking marijuana’, and after this, decided to fight for Ukraine.
Russian state news agency TASS said he had been moved to Moscow for unspecified investigative actions and forensic examinations.
Britain earlier accused Russia of using him and fellow POW James Anderson ‘for political and propaganda purposes’.
But his charge of being a mercenary is false, according to Ankur Narayan, UK Politico-Military Counsellor at the UK Delegation to the OSCE.
‘They are not mercenaries,’ he said. ‘They are Prisoners of War. Ukraine has confirmed that both are members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
‘They must be provided all the rights and protections afforded to Prisoners of War under the Geneva Conventions.’
Davies had served in the British Army for 13 years and had gone on missions to Germany, Cyprus, Canada, and Afghanistan, according to TASS.
He was reportedly a Javelin man-portable anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) specialist.
Russia has exploited him for propaganda purposes – and may do so again.
In the video released after he was captured, the POW accused Ukrainian commanders of being ‘happy to allow war crimes to happen’ and to use soldiers as ‘meat’, a charge normally levelled at Putin’s forces.
Pro-Putin war and propaganda channels are exploiting the capture of Davies, with one, Vladimir Solovyov, saying: ‘He served for the British Crown as an anti-tank gun operator.
‘For his love of weed, he was kicked out. Curiosity and stupidity brought him to Ukraine, where everyone is accepted. He surrendered just to save himself. And he tells how the Armed Forces of Ukraine killed civilians – women and children.’
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