From the classroom to war, how Australian Oscar Jenkins fought for Ukraine

Oscar Jenkins, a 32-year-old teacher from Melbourne, was once an ordinary citizen. His situation changed after he joined the Ukrainian International Legion. Recent reports indicate that he died in combat in Ukraine, and the Australian government is making "urgent inquiries" with Russian authorities regarding the matter.

Last December, a video surfaced showing Mr. Jenkins being interrogated and beaten by Russian forces. Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, at least seven Australians have died fighting for Ukraine. Mr. Jenkins may become the first Australian prisoner of war killed by a foreign power since World War II. So, how did he end up joining the International Legion?

The Ukrainian government established the International Legion shortly after the full-scale Russian invasion to recruit foreign volunteers to help defend Ukraine. The legion's website states that foreign fighters have played a key role in many critical battles of the war and are "integrated into some of the most distinguished brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine." They participated in the defense of Bakhmut, one of the bloodiest and most grueling battles of the conflict, as well as the relentless battle for Avdiivka. Ukraine says its International Legion consists of around 20,000 fighters from 50 countries, but it is unclear how many Australians have joined.

Former Australian soldier and lawyer, Glenn Kolomeitz, has provided legal advice to members of the Ukrainian Foreign Legion. He has visited the troops and estimates that around 20 to 30 Australians are involved in the legion at any given time. "While in Ukraine, I was staying in the legion's team houses, advising and working with the legion teams," he told the ABC, "I saw 20 to 30 Australians in different units, and one was a senior staff officer in Kyiv."

The application requirements on the legion's website appear to be quite basic. Military experience is not a prerequisite. Anyone between the ages of 18 and 60 without a criminal record or chronic illness can apply. The legion only accepts those who understand English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, or Ukrainian, but speaking and understanding Ukrainian is not mandatory. "For civilians with no military background, I suspect there is still a vetting process, but they are not looking for military experience," Mr. Kolomeitz said. According to the Associated Press, Mr. Jenkins had no military experience before joining the Ukrainian defense forces early last year. Most of the Australian legion soldiers Mr. Kolomeitz encountered in Ukraine were highly skilled former military personnel who were often involved in training both Western and Ukrainian civilian fighters. "They would mentor these Western legion soldiers with no military experience," Mr. Kolomeitz said, "I believe that's what they would have done for Oscar as well."

In the hostage video, Mr. Jenkins explained to his captors in English and broken Ukrainian that he had been providing assistance to Ukraine in the Donbas region. Mr. Kolomeitz said he has maintained contact with legion soldiers in Ukraine and that Mr. Jenkins appeared to have been fighting alongside commandos involved in major battles. "He was popular among the legion soldiers, and therefore, he would have been popular with his Ukrainian colleagues as well," he said, "You could consider him to be accepted as a warrior." A former Australian commando who has been serving in Ukraine since the start of the conflict wrote in a text message to Mr. Kolomeitz this week: "The captured Australian, Oscar Jenkins, is my friend. We served together." Mr. Kolomeitz said this commando knew Mr. Jenkins was a civilian, "but once you join the legion, you're no longer a civilian." "The fact that he was in the same unit as this man tells me that he was involved in combat."

An American legion soldier named "Forrest" described Mr. Jenkins as a selfless and highly motivated soldier. "He was ready to go to the front line, without armor, without weapons, just to kill Russians and keep Ukrainians safe," he told the ABC in December, "He was fighting for Ukraine." According to a foreign volunteer guide released in 2024, foreign service members can earn up to 100,000 Ukrainian hryvnia (about $3,820 USD) per month. If they are killed or disabled in the line of duty, they and their families can receive a one-time payment of up to 15 million Ukrainian hryvnia (about $573,006 USD). Mr. Kolomeitz said he had met several soldiers who had given up high-paying contracts with the Australian military to fight in Ukraine. "Ultimately, it's a very selfless act to want to go and serve," Mr. Kolomeitz said, "I know our government doesn't like it, but serving in Ukraine, it's not just Ukraine's fight, it's the world's fight. I think Oscar's motivation was very honorable."

Over the years, there have been ongoing allegations of misconduct and abuse within the legion. The Kyiv Independent has extensively reported on allegations of illegal behavior by some commanders. An Australian who served in the Ukrainian legion also revealed to the ABC in 2023 that some incompetent Ukrainian commanders threatened soldiers and put them in danger. Mr. Kolomeitz has received requests for legal advice from Australians and other legion members. He said that the situation has "improved dramatically" over the past year, especially in terms of equipment and access to Western weapons. However, in August last year, the Kyiv Independent published a follow-up to its investigation, finding that "many of the problems we exposed in 2022 seem to persist." It noted poor control of light weapons, physical assault and threats by commanders against subordinates, and ongoing issues with alcohol abuse in certain units. Mr. Kolomeitz said that a major problem facing legion soldiers is the increasing complexity of the battlefield. The proliferation of one-way attack drones has made the situation more challenging and dangerous, and is hindering evacuation and logistics efforts. "You look up, and there's a drone there," he said, "It's a very different battlefield."