<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>337236</docID> <postdate>2025-01-29 16:51:17</postdate> <headline>Russia says Australian captive Oscar Jenkins is alive</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-337237" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/r0_0_800_600_w1200_h678_fmax-2.webp" alt="" width="800" height="600" /></p> <caption>Australian soldier Oscar Jenkins is reported to be alive. (HANDOUT/'SLADKOV+' TELEGRAM ACCOUNT)</caption> <p class="wire-column__preview__author"><span class="kicker-line">By <b>Dominic Giannini</b> in Canberra</span></p> <p><strong>An Australian man held captive by Russia after fighting for Ukraine is alive, Australian officials have been told, following fears he had been executed.</strong></p> <p>Oscar Jenkins was the first Australian combatant reportedly captured by Russian forces and his death would have marked the first for an Australian prisoner of war in more than 70 years.</p> <p>Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Russian authorities had told Australian officials Mr Jenkins was alive but he was reticent to offer official confirmation.</p> <p>"If that is the case it certainly would be welcome," he told ABC TV on Wednesday.</p> <p>"It's something that we have demanded information on and we are demanding more information so that we can be certain that what has been suggested is, in fact, the case."</p> <p>Foreign Minister Penny Wong had warned all diplomatic options were on the table if reports Mr Jenkins had been killed were verified.</p> <p>In the social media video circulated in December, Mr Jenkins was shown speaking a mix of broken Russian and English.</p> <p>The Russian embassy in Canberra has been contacted for comment.</p> </body>