A former British soldier, Hayden William Davies, has been sentenced to 13 years in prison by a court in the Russian-controlled Donetsk People’s Republic. Davies, aged 30, was captured while fighting alongside Ukrainian forces, where he was classified as a “mercenary” by the court.
Davies, who hails from Southampton, will serve his sentence in a strict regime penal colony in Russia. The court stated that he had arrived in Ternopil, Ukraine, in August 2024, where he signed a contract with the International Legion of Defence of Ukraine. After completing military training, he participated in combat against the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in the Donetsk region.
The circumstances surrounding Davies’ capture began when he was detained in Teretsk last winter. During the trial, he responded affirmatively when asked about his guilt, simply stating “Yes.” Reports indicate that he has developed a growth on his left eyelid that has worsened since his capture, with no medical treatment provided by Russian authorities.
In a military video released following his capture, Davies disclosed that he had been discharged from the British Army in 2023 for using marijuana. This led him to join the fight in Ukraine. According to the Russian state news agency TASS, he was later moved to Moscow for unspecified investigative actions.
The British government has criticized Russia’s treatment of Davies, asserting that he and fellow prisoner of war James Anderson are being used for political propaganda. Ankur Narayan, the UK Politico-Military Counsellor at the UK Delegation to the OSCE, emphasized that “they are not mercenaries. They are Prisoners of War,” stating that both men are confirmed members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and entitled to protections under the Geneva Conventions.
Davies served in the British Army for 13 years and specialized as a Javelin man-portable anti-tank guided missile operator. His capture has become a focal point for Russian propaganda, with various pro-Putin channels exploiting his statements to discredit Ukraine. One commentator, Vladimir Solovyov, asserted that Davies had surrendered to save himself and accused Ukrainian commanders of complicity in war crimes—an allegation typically directed at Russian forces.
The case of Hayden Davies raises significant concerns regarding the treatment of prisoners of war and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. It underscores the complex dynamics of international law and the implications of combatants in foreign conflicts.
