Russia sentenced British citizen who fought for Ukraine in Kursk for 19 years

A Russian court sentenced James Scott Rees Anderson, a 22-year-old British citizen, to 19 years imprisonment after finding him guilty of “terrorism” and mercenary activities, while he was fighting on the Ukrainian side in Russia’s Kursk Oblast.

In August 2024, the Ukrainian forces launched an incursion into Kursk Oblast to have a leverage in negotiations with Russia, reduce the threat to Ukrainian cities like Kharkiv and Sumy by moving Russian artillery out of range, and secure prisoners for potential exchanges.

The Russian court ruled that Anderson “directly participated in the armed conflict on the territory of the Russian Federation” as a mercenary receiving financial compensation, the Russian Investigative Committee stated in its press release.

Anderson identified himself as a former British Army soldier who served between 2019 and 2023, and The Independent reportedly indicated he joined Ukraine’s International Legion after losing his job, RBC-Russia reports.

Russian authorities claim he entered Russian territory illegally in November 2024 as part of Ukrainian military units while armed with weapons.

The Investigative Committee alleges he committed “crimes against the civilian population” with the aim of causing property damage and destabilizing government operations.

Anderson was subsequently detained in Kursk Oblast following what the Investigative Committee described as “operational search measures.”

Under the court’s verdict, Anderson will serve the first five years of his sentence in prison, with the remainder to be served in a strict regime correctional colony. 

Following his arrest, Anderson claimed he was forced to participate in the Kursk operation against his will by Ukrainian military command, according to RBC-Russia.

In December 2024, Julia Zhdanova, acting head of Russia’s delegation at Vienna military security negotiations, stated that Russia had “eliminated about 6,500 of the 15,000 foreign mercenaries” who had entered Ukraine.

Zhdanova also noted that the Investigative Committee had opened criminal cases against approximately 800 foreign citizens allegedly involved in the August 2024 Kursk incursion.

Ukrainian POWs in Kursk

The total number of Ukrainian troops captured in Kursk Oblast remains unclear. Russian state news agency TASS reported in late 2024 that approximately 500 prisoners had been taken during the operation, citing unnamed sources.

The court’s website indicates that 30 defendants have already been sentenced, while Russia’s Investigative Committee reported 32 sentences ranging from 15 to 17 years imprisonment for captured Ukrainian military personnel.

All these defendants face identical “terrorism” charges as part of a group causing “grave consequences.” The court has taken steps to conceal the identities of those being tried, with the press service stating this is “to ensure the safety of participants in the proceedings,” according to Russian Mediazona news.