In an interview, a British man released during the war in Ukraine through a prisoner exchange reported being tortured in Russian captivity. He was repeatedly beaten with a stick during interrogations and forced to sing the Russian national anthem, Aiden Aslin said.
Aslin is one of five Britons flown from Russian captivity to Riyadh on Wednesday.
Sentenced to death by separatists
The 28-year-old from Nottinghamshire in central England lived in Ukraine at the start of the war and served in the local army. He was captured during fighting around Kiev and sentenced to death as a mercenary by pro-Russian separatists in Donetsk in June.
“I’m killing you”
Aslin told British newspaper The Sun that he was hit in the forehead during an interrogation and then fell to the ground. An officer knelt next to him and said in Russian, “I killed you.” The man then pointed to Aslin’s back. “He showed me his knife and I realized he stabbed me with it,” said the 28-year-old, who showed multiple scars on his back.
Aslin said he was locked in a solitary cell with lice, cockroaches and no natural light and that he was “treated worse than a dog”. The newspaper wrote that his guards “played the Russian national anthem in a continuous loop” and, under threat of further beatings, forced him to get up and sing along.
Aslin was released as part of a prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine. The prisoners from Russia were transferred to Saudi Arabia. Ukraine had accused Russia of torture shortly after the exchange.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
