British Former Soldier Serving 15-Year Sentence in Russia Reports Limited UK Contact

A former British soldier serving a 15-year sentence in a Russian prison colony has told the BBC he has had no contact with UK government representatives since his capture in Ukraine. Hayden Davies joined the Ukrainian army's foreign legion as a volunteer and was detained by Russian forces more than 18 months ago after being injured on the front line.

He was convicted of mercenaryism by a court in Russian-controlled Donetsk and later had two years added to his sentence by a Moscow court.

In letters sent from the facility, Davies described crawling 150 metres to a basement after his radio failed and his partner was killed. He remained there for two months before Russian soldiers found him and said he treated his own leg injury by pushing protruding bone back into place and fashioning a splint.

Davies stated he spent his first year in prison alone and has received only one letter from his sister. He wrote that he served 12 years in the British Army and now receives no medical help.

A UK Foreign Office spokesperson said the government remains in contact with Davies' family and is providing consular support. The spokesperson added that the UK does not recognise the Russian-controlled court or its occupation of Donetsk. British officials are regularly denied access to detainees in Russia and cannot travel to occupied Ukrainian territory.

All letters to prisoners are read by Russian authorities. Anastasia Shevchenko, a political activist based in Lithuania who assists prisoners of war, said she informed UK embassies in Ukraine and Lithuania of Davies' capture last year. She added that other countries provide more direct support to their nationals held in Russia.