Kira and Igor Korolev (left and right) are detained in Brisbane on charges of spying, while Oscar Jenkins (centre) was captured by Russian forces and is believed to be held as a prisoner of war. (Facebook/Youtube)
In short:
A Russian "human rights" group has suggested prisoner of war Oscar Jenkins could be freed in exchange for several Russians facing criminal charges in Australia.
Russia's embassy has accused Australia of quietly authorising former ADF members to join Ukraine's armed forces.
What's next?
Australia is continuing to seek information from the Putin regime about the conditions of Oscar Jenkins.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong is being urged by a Moscow-based group to support a "humanitarian" prisoner swap involving accused Russian spies Kira and Igor Korolev to help secure the "speedy" release of captured Australian fighter Oscar Jenkins.Â
This week Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the government had received a report from Russia that Mr Jenkins was alive following fears this month the Australian prisoner had been killed while in captivity.Â
Now the Russian branch of the International Committee for the Protection of Human Rights has suggested Mr Jenkins could be exchanged for the married Korolev couple from Brisbane, along with Sydney fugitive Simion Boikov, known as "Aussie Cossack".
PM says Oscar Jenkins may be alive and in Russian captivity
Photo shows A man with mud on his face in the forrest.
The non-governmental organisation regularly advocates for Russian prisoners held abroad, and its public commentary appears consistently aligned with statements made by senior Kremlin officials.
In an undated letter to Senator Wong and her Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, the organisation's vice-president Ivan Melnikov expresses hope a prisoner exchange can occur "despite the recurring difficulties in diplomatic relations between our countries".
"Kira and Igor Korolev have been held in an Australian pre-trial detention centre for more than six months on charges of allegedly spying for Russia. Their state of health is worrisome, and their loved ones are probably very worried about them," he said.
"Oscar Jenkins, an Australian citizen, is a former teacher who was deceived by Western services and went to Ukraine, was caught by the Russian military and is now in a Russian pre-trial detention centre on suspicion of mercenary activities. Sure his family is also very worried."
Mr Melnikov also advocates for pro-Putin activist Simeon Boikov who he claims has been "forced to stay at the Russian embassy in Australia for more than two years due to the granting of political asylum status in connection with a criminal case against him".
An outspoken critic of COVID-19 lockdowns, Mr Boikov also leads the alt-right-aligned Australian Cossack Society and has sought refuge in Sydney's Russian consulate to avoid an assault charge for which he was convicted in absentia.
"All these years, he has been unable to live a full life and work, as he cannot leave the embassy, and his relatives in Russia dream of meeting him, but given the advanced age of some, they are afraid that they will not wait," Mr Melnikov wrote to Russia's and Australia's foreign ministers.
"In my work in the field of human rights, I have witnessed the difficulties faced by people in captivity and their relatives. I do not think that under the circumstances, after returning to their countries, they will pose a danger to society.
"I ask you to take all possible measures and assistance to organise the exchange of Russian citizens Semyon [sic] Boikov and the Korolev family for Australian citizen Oscar Jenkins."
Broadcaster Simion Boikov wants to be included in a prisoner swap. (Twitter/X:Â @aussiecossack)
On Thursday, Mr Albanese declined to say whether Australia would contemplate a prisoner swap to secure Mr Jenkins's freedom, telling reporters the government was still seeking details about the Melbourne man's condition.
"They have provided information at this point, but we don't take anything we hear off the Putin regime at face value. We have made it very clear that we think Mr Jenkins should be released," Mr Albanese said.
"We don't think that he should have to suffer from ongoing incarceration and will continue to make representations, but we'll also continue to work as we will with Ukraine as well, on ascertaining further information."
Asked on Friday whether he was satisfied with the details of Mr Jenkins' situation provided by Russia, he answered "no… we are seeking further assurances and evidence."
When video first emerged in December of Mr Jenkins being interrogated by Russian forces after fighting for Ukraine, Mr Boikov posted a video online urging the Albanese government to include him in a possible prisoner swap deal with Moscow.
From the time Mr Jenkins was taken as a prisoner of war by Russia's military, Australian officials have privately suspected the Putin regime would try to use him as leverage to secure the release of the Korolevs.
Russian embassy accuses Australia of authorising former ADF members to fight for Ukraine
Overnight the Russian embassy in Canberra issued a statement accusing the Australian government and media of promoting an "anti-Russian narrative" over the case of Mr Jenkins.
"The Australian government and the mainstream media seem to have gotten the Oscar Jenkins story wrong. They keep issuing and airing demands directed to Russia along with threats of an 'unequivocal' response rather than reflecting on their responsibility for what has occurred to a fellow Australian," the statement read.
The embassy said politicians and media had been "misleading Aussies to believe that going to Ukraine to kill Russians was a commendable thing to do", singling out the "state-funded public broadcaster" for "eagerly educating the audience about the qualifications to join the Ukrainian Foreign Legion while emphasising that military background is optional", an apparent reference to a background explainer published by the ABC in January.
The statement, the embassy's first public comments since the 32-year-old Melbourne teacher was taken prisoner, also includes the claim Australian military veterans are being issued "foreign work authorisations" to join Ukraine's fight against Russia's invasion.
"Against this background, the official 'do not travel' advice can only be perceived as a hypocritical disclaimer to camouflage the policy of condoning, in fact, encouraging citizens to go and fight Russians."
A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the government had "warned Australians not to travel to Ukraine since Russia's illegal invasion almost three years ago.
"We continue to advise Australians not to travel to Ukraine and Russia. The travel advice is clear.
We have also been clear that Russia must provide Mr Jenkins the protections he is entitled to under international humanitarian law."
