A Sunderland man, captured in Ukraine, appears in video appealing for help from Boris Johnson.

The Foreign Office say they're concerned by his detention.

John Harding, a member of the Georgian National Legion, in Ukraine 2018
Author: Micky WelchPublished 18th Jul 2022

A Sunderland man has been shown in a video on Russian TV appealing for help from Boris Johnson after allegedly fighting for Ukraine.

John Harding appears to be being held by pro-Russian separatists in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine.

Foreign secretary Liz Truss has called death penalties handed out to other British people in the region ‘sham judgements.

A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said:

“We are supporting the family of a British National and are concerned by his detention.

“We condemn the exploitation of detainees for political purpo|ses and have raised this with Russia. We are in constant contact with the Government of Ukraine on their cases and are fully supportive of Ukraine in its efforts to get them released.”

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