British soldier captured by Russian forces to return to Ukraine 50 days after escaping death sentence

A British soldier has revealed he will return to Ukraine less than two months after being freed from detention by Russian-backed separatists who sentenced him to death.

Aiden Aslin, 28, was captured by the Donetsk People’s Republic in April while fighting in the now-Russian-occupied city of Mariupol in the early days of the war.

He was spared death by firing squad due to a prisoner swap deal brokered by Saudi Arabia and ex-Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, which allowed him and four other British nationals to return to the UK.

Mr Aslin, who is initially from Newark but has lived in Ukraine for years, was serving with the country’s armed forces when Russia invaded in February. He has now revealed he is heading back to the war-torn country –but this time as a YouTube blogger.

He said: “It’s my home. Obviously I don’t want to be captured again, but I feel there is still work to be done. There are stories that need to be told.

“I promised my fiancee that I wouldn’t go back to the military. I don’t expect to ever pick up a weapon again. I know that I may be a recognisable face in Ukraine, but I feel it’s worth the risk.”

The former care worker said he will report on the ongoing conflict for his YouTube channel by spending time on the front line. He said his videos will tell the stories of Ukrainian soldiers and emergency workers, as well as everyday people living under an invasion.

Mr Aslin was captured in Mariupol while fighting alongside Ukrainians just weeks into the war. He said that in captivity he was beaten, stabbed and tormented by the prison guards.

On his return to Ukraine, he said, he will check on the state of his home near the front line in Kherson. Russia on Wednesday ordered troops to withdraw from Kherson city.

His Ukrainian fiancee, Diana Okovyta, who arrived in Newark as a refugee, will stay behind, possibly until the war is over.

Mr Aslin added: “I fear the war could drag on another few years unless something happens in Russia politically. Ukraine won’t give up and has given Russia much more of a bloody nose than what I said before going into combat. Entire units are being wiped out.

“I do believe Ukraine has a real chance of winning this war.”

Additional reporting by SWNS