Aiden Aslin
The | |
Service/ | |
---|---|
Years of service | 2015–2016 (YPG) 2018–2022 (Ukraine) |
Unit | 36th Separate Marine Brigade |
Battles/wars |
|
Aiden Daniel John Mark Aslin
Before that, in 2015, Aslin travelled to Rojava, also known as the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). There, he served as a foreign volunteer for the Kurdish People's Defense Units (YPG), fighting against the Islamic State.[11][12] Aslin was briefly detained upon his return to the United Kingdom.[12] In 2018, he travelled to Ukraine and settled in Mykolaiv, and has applied for Ukrainian citizenship.[3]
Biography
Aslin was born in 1994.[13] He lived in Newark, Nottinghamshire[14][15] and worked as a carer.[16]
Fighting ISIS in Rojava
In 2015, Aslin travelled to Rojava to join the YPG.[17]
From 2015 to 2016 Aslin fought with the YPG International in
Fighting Russia in Ukraine
In 2018, Aslin travelled to Ukraine and enlisted with the
After a complaint from Aslin's family, through their MP Robert Jenrick, Phillips' interview with Aslin was removed from YouTube.[33] Aslin has since given several interviews, and a YouTube channel in his name was started. The channel was later terminated in August 2022 'after a legal complaint'.[citation needed]
Trial in Russian-occupied Donetsk
On 30 April, the
"In the period from approximately December 2018 to April 2022
Saadun Brahimacting deliberately by a group of persons by prior agreement as part of the armed forces of Ukraine, being on the territory of Donetsk People's Republic [DPR] in a time of war, being armed with firearms, took part in the preparation and military actions against the Armed Forces of the Donetsk People's Republic for the purpose of forcibly seizing and forcibly retaining power on the territory of DPR.”— Prosecutor General's Office of the DPR (6 Jun 2022)
They were likewise accused of violating the "constitution" of the DPR by committing "terrorist acts, diversions, explosions, shelling from artillery, mortar [and] small arms" [against] "settlements, peaceful citizens, military of the Armed Forces of DPR," [and] "committing murders of the citizens of DPR, threatening of the civilians, who carried out their will during the referendum on May 11, 2014, which resulted in the forming of the state Donetsk People Republic."[46]
While in captivity Aslin was interrogated on camera by Graham Phillips, a British national working for Russian propaganda. Aslin described his behavior as "psychotic" when filming the interview.[47]
On 7 June Aslin, Pinner and Brahim were tried by the Supreme Court of the Donetsk People's Republic
On 21 September, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia reported that Russia released ten foreign prisoners of war in a prisoner exchange after mediation by Mohammed bin Salman, Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia.[54] According to his MP Robert Jenrick, Aiden Aslin was among the prisoners released.[55][10]
Following his release, Aslin claimed in an interview that he was punched on the nose when his captors discovered that he was British and that he was tortured during his interrogation and his time in captivity.[56]
Reaction
British
On 12 June,
In November 2022, when trying to return to Ukraine, Aslin discovered a Schengen entry ban has been placed on his name by the German government, which resulted in the Polish border force denying him entry into the EU when arriving on a flight to Poland. Aslin believes this ban was placed in order to prevent re-use of his original passport captured by Russian authorities for a covert entry into EU.[3]
Personal life
Aslin is reported to have either a fiancée[5] or a wife[62] of Ukrainian descent and to have settled in the Mykolaiv area prior to the conflict.[63] Aslin goes by the online username "Cossack Gundi" on his public social media accounts.[1][64]
See also
- Russian information war against Ukraine
- Saadun Brahim
- Shaun Pinner
- Vjekoslav Prebeg
- Aleksandr Nikulin, judge.
Notes
- ^ A military response meaning affirmative.
References
- ^ a b "An Interview with a British Fighter in Donbass - Cossack Gundi". 2 March 2021. Archived from the original on 14 April 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- from the original on 13 April 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
- ^ a b c d "Freed British POW with Ukrainian State Award Now Blocked from Schengen Zone". 24 April 2023.
- ^ "Aiden Aslin: Family's 'distress' at video of captured Briton". BBC News. 14 April 2022. Archived from the original on 12 July 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- ^ a b "Newark's Aiden Aslin is alive but he may still be in besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol". Newark Advertiser. Archived from the original on 18 April 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
- ^ Jones, Sam (27 January 2015). "Ukraine fighting points to Russia designs for puppet state". Financial Times. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
- ^ "Russia marches on uninhibited in eastern Ukraine". The Washington Post. 18 February 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
- ^ "Death sentence for 3 foreign fighters given by Russian proxy court". Nikkei Asia. 12 April 2022. Archived from the original on 15 July 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- ^ "Britons held by Russian forces in Ukraine released". BBC News. 22 September 2022.
- ^ a b "Aiden Aslin: Captured Brit in Ukraine appeals against death sentence". The Independent. 12 April 2022. Archived from the original on 12 July 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- ^ a b Barbarani, Sofia (6 July 2015). "Syria: Anti-Isis Westerners fighting for Kurds disillusioned with YPG's 'school trip with guns' tactics". International Business Times UK. Archived from the original on 9 June 2022. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
- ^ a b c "Briton who joined Kurds to fight ISIS faces terrorism charges - ARA News". ARA News. 21 May 2016. Archived from the original on 5 October 2017. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
- ^ "Жили в Украине, служили в ВСУ. Что известно о взятых в плен британских добровольцах". ФОКУС (in Russian). 19 April 2022. Archived from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
- ^ Wylie, Catherine (12 September 2017). "Man who claimed to want to fight ISIS arrested over terrorism". nottinghampost. Archived from the original on 14 September 2017. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
- ^ Olimpia Zagnat (20 April 2022). "Aiden Aslin's mum just wants her 'hero' son back home after he was captured by Russians". nottinghampost. Archived from the original on 22 April 2022. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
- ^ from the original on 18 December 2017. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
- ^ "Aiden Aslin: Captured Brit in Ukraine appeals against death sentence". The Guardian. 12 April 2022. Archived from the original on 18 December 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- ^ "Syria: YPG launches assault to take all of Hasaka". www.aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 14 December 2017. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
- ^ The Henry Jackson Society. Archived(PDF) from the original on 14 September 2017. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
- ^ "Freedom fighter says he is living in exile". Newark Advertiser. 3 August 2017. Archived from the original on 14 September 2017. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
- ^ Johns, Ryan (17 May 2016). "Protest held in support of Notts man facing terrorism investigation - Notts TV News | The heart of Nottingham news coverage for Notts TV". Notts TV News | The heart of Nottingham news coverage for Notts TV. Archived from the original on 5 October 2017. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
- ^ "Pentagon chief praises Kurdish fighters in Syria". Hurriyet Daily News. 18 March 2016. Archived from the original on 16 June 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
- ^ "What You Can't Say Anymore: 'I Fought Against ISIS'". The Jackson Press. 12 September 2017. Archived from the original on 14 September 2017. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
- ^ a b "YPG volunteer from the UK calls for support for the Kurdish struggle". ANF News. 15 March 2017. Archived from the original on 5 October 2017. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
- ^ Oliphant, Roland (11 February 2022). "'What we signed up for': British soldier returns to Ukrainian Army unit to prepare for Russian invasion". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 10 June 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
- ^ "British fighter Aiden Aslin survives raids in Mariupol". Archived from the original on 7 June 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
- ^ Timsit, Annabelle (14 April 2022). "Surrendered Brit fighting with Ukraine appears to emerge in Russian broadcast". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 5 June 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022 – via www.washingtonpost.com.
- from the original on 9 June 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
- from the original on 8 June 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
- ^ "Russia uses pro-Kremlin Briton to interview captured fighter Aiden Aslin in propaganda war". inews.co.uk. 19 April 2022. Archived from the original on 20 May 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
- from the original on 6 June 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
- ^ "Aiden Aslin: Family's 'distress' at video of captured Briton". BBC News. 20 April 2022. Archived from the original on 20 April 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
- ^ "Aiden Aslin: Captured Briton's YouTube interview removed". BBC News. 22 April 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
- ^ "Ukraine war: Britons Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner sentenced to death". BBC News. 9 June 2022.
- .
- TheGuardian.com. 4 July 2022.
- ^ "Aiden Aslin: Ukraine Briton told execution will go ahead". BBC News. 22 June 2022.
- ^ a b Traldi, Arthur (19 July 2022). "Soldiers, Not Soldiers of Fortune". Lawfare. Archived from the original on 27 September 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
- from the original on 9 June 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
- ^ a b "Prosecutor General's Office of the DPR: mercenaries from Britain and Morocco may face the death penalty". TNG News. 27 May 2022. Archived from the original on 13 July 2022.
- from the original on 9 June 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
- ^ "Cossack Gundi and Other Foreign Volunteers Told They May Face Death Penalty by Separatist Prosecutors". Atlas News. 2 June 2022. Archived from the original on 24 July 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
- ^ ""Жителей Москвы пора гнать копать окопы" Нескольких иностранцев приговорили в ДНР к смертной казни. Им назначили адвокатов — и вот что эти адвокаты говорят". Meduza (in Russian). Archived from the original on 30 June 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
- ^ a b ""Мы не придаток следствия"". «Адвокатская улица». Archived from the original on 30 June 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
- from the original on 12 July 2022. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
- from the original on 8 June 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ^ Smart, Jason Jay. "Freed British POW with Ukrainian State Award Now Blocked from Schengen Zone". Get the Latest Ukraine News Today - KyivPost. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
- ^ "Three foreigners sentenced to death in 'DPR'". Novaya Gazetta. 9 June 2022. Archived from the original on 12 July 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- ^ "Pro-Russia officials open trial against Britons captured fighting in Ukraine". Novaya The Guardian. 7 June 2022. Archived from the original on 14 July 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
- YouTube
- ^ a b "Britons sentenced to death after 'show trial' in Russian-occupied Ukraine". the Guardian. 9 June 2022. Archived from the original on 9 June 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
- ^ "Three foreigners sentenced to death in 'DPR'". Novaya Gazetta. 9 June 2022. Archived from the original on 12 July 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- ^ "Captured British fighter appeals against death sentence by DPR court, Russian state media reports". 5 July 2022. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
- ^ "Russia releases 10 foreigners captured in Ukraine, after Saudi mediation". Reuters. 21 September 2022. Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
- ^ "Briton Aiden Aslin among those released". BBC News. 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
- ^ "Prisoner released by Russia 'treated worse than a dog'". BBC News. 25 September 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- from the original on 9 June 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
- ^ "Ukraine war: Britons Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner sentenced to death". BBC News. 9 June 2022. Archived from the original on 9 June 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
- ^ "Death sentence for Ukraine foreign fighters is a war crime: UN rights office". UN News. 10 June 2022. Archived from the original on 10 June 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
- from the original on 12 June 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ "Aiden Aslin: Ukraine Briton told execution will go ahead". BBC News. 22 June 2022. Archived from the original on 24 June 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
- ^ "British 'mercs' captured while fighting for Ukraine threatened with the death penalty". Cornwall Live. Retrieved 12 July 2022.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Hennessy, Peter (20 April 2022). "Family 'distressed' by Russian video of captured prisoner". NottinghamshireLive. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ Parker, George Grylls. "Briton Aiden Aslin 'surrenders' in Mariupol as he runs out of food". Archived from the original on 13 April 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.