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| ‘I stood on a mine’: government urged to repatriate Australian seriously injured fighting in Ukraine war | ‘I stood on a mine’: government urged to repatriate Australian seriously injured fighting in Ukraine war |
| (33 minutes later) | |
| Foreign fighter, 38, says his evacuation from the frontline took 20 hours and he was given no first aid or bandages for ‘blown-apart’ hands and feet | Foreign fighter, 38, says his evacuation from the frontline took 20 hours and he was given no first aid or bandages for ‘blown-apart’ hands and feet |
| The federal government has been urged to evacuate an Australian citizen who was seriously injured after stepping on a landmine while fighting for Ukraine on the country’s far eastern front. | The federal government has been urged to evacuate an Australian citizen who was seriously injured after stepping on a landmine while fighting for Ukraine on the country’s far eastern front. |
| Friends of the 38-year-old foreign fighter, who is being treated in a Ukrainian hospital, warn he needs urgent specialist treatment to avoid losing limbs and are lobbying Australian diplomats to intervene in his case. | Friends of the 38-year-old foreign fighter, who is being treated in a Ukrainian hospital, warn he needs urgent specialist treatment to avoid losing limbs and are lobbying Australian diplomats to intervene in his case. |
| The man, who Guardian Australia has identified but decided not to name, described his frontline experience in a statement shared by a Ukrainian/Australian man who is supporting him in hospital. | The man, who Guardian Australia has identified but decided not to name, described his frontline experience in a statement shared by a Ukrainian/Australian man who is supporting him in hospital. |
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| Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email | Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email |
| “I came within 15 metres of the enemy’s position where I started to move in for an assault,” the Australian foreign fighter said. “I stood on a mine.” | “I came within 15 metres of the enemy’s position where I started to move in for an assault,” the Australian foreign fighter said. “I stood on a mine.” |
| “My evacuation took 20 hours. I was given no first aid. Blown-apart foot, not bandaged. Snapped and shattered leg, no splint. Blown-apart hand, no bandage. | “My evacuation took 20 hours. I was given no first aid. Blown-apart foot, not bandaged. Snapped and shattered leg, no splint. Blown-apart hand, no bandage. |
| “I nearly bled out as I had to use a tourniquet and back it off every hour to keep from losing my arm.” | “I nearly bled out as I had to use a tourniquet and back it off every hour to keep from losing my arm.” |
| Images seen by Guardian Australia confirm the severity of the man’s injuries. | Images seen by Guardian Australia confirm the severity of the man’s injuries. |
| Former Australian army officer and lawyer, Glenn Kolomeitz, was provided a copy of the man’s statement on Monday night. He was urged to pressure several Australian politicians to arrange the man’s “casualty evacuation” out of Ukraine. | Former Australian army officer and lawyer, Glenn Kolomeitz, was provided a copy of the man’s statement on Monday night. He was urged to pressure several Australian politicians to arrange the man’s “casualty evacuation” out of Ukraine. |
| “This guy needs to get out there to a better hospital,” Kolomeitz said. “He needs surgery very rapidly and the best way to do that is for Australia to casualty-evacuate him to Australia or another European nation. | “This guy needs to get out there to a better hospital,” Kolomeitz said. “He needs surgery very rapidly and the best way to do that is for Australia to casualty-evacuate him to Australia or another European nation. |
| “Ukrainian medical facilities are good, we are not being critical, but because of the sheer quantum of combat trauma it is difficult to get on top of these cases sometimes.” | “Ukrainian medical facilities are good, we are not being critical, but because of the sheer quantum of combat trauma it is difficult to get on top of these cases sometimes.” |
| The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been contacted for comment. | The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been contacted for comment. |
| Confirmation of the man’s injuries comes one day after the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and other senior politicians urged Australians not to visit Ukraine. | Confirmation of the man’s injuries comes one day after the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and other senior politicians urged Australians not to visit Ukraine. |
| Australian officials are scrambling to locate another foreign fighter in Ukraine, 32-year-old Oscar Jenkins, after a video purporting to show his capture by Russian forces of Ukraine’s eastern front circulated online. | Australian officials are scrambling to locate another foreign fighter in Ukraine, 32-year-old Oscar Jenkins, after a video purporting to show his capture by Russian forces of Ukraine’s eastern front circulated online. |
| In the video, Jenkins has his hands bound with what appears to be tape or plastic. He is wearing military fatigues and has dirt on his face. Answering in English and broken Russian, he says he lives in Australia and Ukraine. | In the video, Jenkins has his hands bound with what appears to be tape or plastic. He is wearing military fatigues and has dirt on his face. Answering in English and broken Russian, he says he lives in Australia and Ukraine. |
| Guardian Australia understands federal officials are working to verify the authenticity of the video and details about the man involved. Anthony Albanese noted that Russian forces sometimes seeded incorrect information. | Guardian Australia understands federal officials are working to verify the authenticity of the video and details about the man involved. Anthony Albanese noted that Russian forces sometimes seeded incorrect information. |
| On Tuesday, an American foreign fighter in Ukraine who described Jenkins as a close friend told the ABC he was “worried sick about him” and believed he was “fighting to survive for as long as he can”. | On Tuesday, an American foreign fighter in Ukraine who described Jenkins as a close friend told the ABC he was “worried sick about him” and believed he was “fighting to survive for as long as he can”. |
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| “He was in it for Ukraine and now being captured and fighting to survive for as long as he can,” said the American, who was only identified by his call sign, Forrest. “And now he’s staying alive as best as he can. I’m just worried sick about him”. | “He was in it for Ukraine and now being captured and fighting to survive for as long as he can,” said the American, who was only identified by his call sign, Forrest. “And now he’s staying alive as best as he can. I’m just worried sick about him”. |
| Russia’s ambassador to Australia, Alexey Pavlovsky, was called to a meeting with Australian diplomats late on Monday to discuss Jenkins’s situation. | Russia’s ambassador to Australia, Alexey Pavlovsky, was called to a meeting with Australian diplomats late on Monday to discuss Jenkins’s situation. |
| The acting foreign minister, Mark Dreyfus, urged “the Russian government to fully adhere to its obligations under international humanitarian law, including with respect to prisoners of war”. | The acting foreign minister, Mark Dreyfus, urged “the Russian government to fully adhere to its obligations under international humanitarian law, including with respect to prisoners of war”. |
| “Our immediate priority is understanding where Mr Jenkins is and confirming his wellbeing,” Dreyfus said. | “Our immediate priority is understanding where Mr Jenkins is and confirming his wellbeing,” Dreyfus said. |
| “We are providing consular support to Mr Jenkins’ family. I reiterate the government’s clear advice to all Australians – do not travel to Ukraine.” | “We are providing consular support to Mr Jenkins’ family. I reiterate the government’s clear advice to all Australians – do not travel to Ukraine.” |
| Nationals leader David Littleproud also implored Australians not to visit the region. | Nationals leader David Littleproud also implored Australians not to visit the region. |
| “This isn’t some great adventure,” Littleproud told Nine. | “This isn’t some great adventure,” Littleproud told Nine. |
| “I had to bring back the remains of a young man from my own electorate, Jed Danahay, who was over there as a medic helping Ukrainians in the war zone and was tragically killed. | “I had to bring back the remains of a young man from my own electorate, Jed Danahay, who was over there as a medic helping Ukrainians in the war zone and was tragically killed. |
| “I never forget the look and the anguish and the pain in his mother’s eyes when I handed back his ashes to her.” | “I never forget the look and the anguish and the pain in his mother’s eyes when I handed back his ashes to her.” |