Dad of Brit prisoner of war captured by Russia shares biggest fear for his son

The father of a former British soldier captured by Russian forces while fighting for Ukraine has issued a desperate plea as he fears his son could be tortured.

British man James Scott Rhys Anderson, had served in the UK armed forces for four years before applying to join Ukraine’s International Brigade. The 22-year-old former signalman was detained while fighting in the Ukrainian-occupied Kursk region before his chilling interrogation video was shared through Russian outlets.

James’ distraught father Scott Anderson, 41, has now broken his silence, sharing how his son’s capture left him in “complete shock” – adding that his main fear is that his boy will be tortured while in Russian captivity. Scott said that he and several other family members tried to persuade him not to sign up for the war, but he “thought what he was doing was right”, so wouldn’t be swayed.

Scott told the MailOnline: “I’m hoping he’ll be used as a bargaining chip but my son told me they torture their prisoners and I’m so frightened he’ll be tortured.” James would speak to his dad “almost every day” before he went on his most recent mission.

He returned home around a month-and-a-half ago, which was when he shared details of a grim arrangement he’d made with his commander. His superior officer had promised to contact Scott should he be killed or captured.

“When he called me and sent the video I was in complete shock and in tears. I could see straight away it was him. He looks frightened, scared and worried,” he said. “He wanted to go out there because he thought he was doing what was right. He was dead against what was happening to the Ukrainian people. Since he went out earlier this year, he’s fallen in love with a Ukrainian although I don’t know her name.”

Prior to his capture, James would message his dad every day on WhatsApp, telling him where he’d been and what he’d seen. Scott said his son was alive and healthy and had sent him a video when he was at Sumy before being posted.

Scott explained how he had been serving a short prison sentence for a domestic incident when his son flew out to Ukraine. He has been contacted by the Foreign Office, which says it’s supporting the family of a British citizen in Ukraine.

In the interrogation video, James said: “James Scott Rhys Anderson, 24 May 2002. I was British Army before, 2019 to 2023. 22 Signal Regiment, just a private. I was a signalman. 1 Signal Brigade, 22 Signal Regiment. 252 Squadron.

“Okay – so when I left, got fired from my job, I applied on the International Legion [of Ukraine] webpage. I had just lost everything. I just lost my job. My dad was away in prison. I see it on the TV. It’s a stupid idea.

“I flew to Krakow, Poland, from London Luton. Bus from there to Medyka in Poland, on the Ukraine border [and then to Ukraine].” A Russian military source told state-controlled TASS news agency that a British man “has been taken prisoner in the Kursk region.”

A Russian report said: “Overall, the footage will be useful and will be able to tell a lot of interesting things about communications and its structure in the British army.” A FCDO spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British man following reports of his detention.”

Ukraine holds several hundred square kilometres of Russia’s Kursk region, but Putin’s forces are gradually pushing them back. North Korean troops sent to help Putin have been deployed in this region.

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