The independent ombudsman representing the DPR reported via a telegram channel that the British mercenary Paul Uri died in custody in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The message attributed his death to chronic illness and ongoing stress, noting that he had recently been held in a DPR penal facility.
The human rights commissioner indicated that during the initial medical evaluation the foreign serviceman showed several chronic conditions. These included insulin dependent diabetes, respiratory damage, kidney issues and cardiovascular problems. The ombudsman stated that Paul Uri received medical care despite the seriousness of offenses he was accused of.
The official asserted that neither the British authorities nor international organizations or media showed concern about Uri’s detention in the DPR, despite awareness of the situation. He claimed that essential medicines were not provided to Uri through the International Committee of the Red Cross, which he argued harmed the man’s mental health through a lack of support.
According to reports on a Telegram channel, Uri’s mother told reporters that her son volunteered for humanitarian work, has diabetes and requires insulin. The ombudsman also mentioned that Uri was captured in April as he allegedly tried to bypass a checkpoint controlled by the republic’s forces. Uri was described as a professional soldier who previously participated in operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya, and who engaged in recruiting and training mercenaries for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Uri’s mother described him as a family man with children and noted that after he could not join the army he turned to humanitarian aid work.
Two other British nationals, Sean Pinner and Aiden Aslin, were previously detained and sentenced to death early in June. A Moroccan, Saadoun Brahim, was also convicted alongside these British individuals. They faced charges related to attempting to seize power in the DPR, with the count on mercenary involvement in armed conflict eventually dropped. All three appealed the verdicts.
There were claims that Pinner was sought by British law enforcement on grounds of terrorism due to participation in conflicts in Iraq and Syria and that he lived for a time with his Ukrainian spouse in Mariupol.
The head of the DPR had earlier indicated that the republic’s justice system had prepared a plan for the execution of foreign mercenaries who do not raise justified objections. If a court refuses to consider their challenges, the sentence could be carried out. A moratorium on the death penalty in the DPR had recently been lifted.
The DPR leader also stated that neither the British nor the Moroccan sides had engaged DPR authorities in prisoner exchange talks. Shortly before, a Russian ambassador to London reported that the United Kingdom had asked for negotiations regarding the repatriation of mercenaries, but the diplomats were directed to the DPR since the matter falls under its jurisdiction.
The DPR also mentioned three American mercenaries in custody. The most recent, 35 year old Suedi Murekezi, was taken to Donetsk after being detained in Kherson in June, according to reports by a major news outlet. Relatives of Murekezi said he had come to Ukraine four years earlier and did not participate in combat, and they questioned the charges against him. The article noted that Murekezi was being kept in the same facility as other detained Americans, Alexander Druke and Andy Huyn, who were reported to be on Kyiv’s side during clashes near Kharkiv. A long form report described that these men were captured during intense combat with Russian forces and were later the subject of discussions about their fate by Western officials.
The State Department stated that efforts were underway to arrange a prisoner exchange, but the DPR leadership claimed no contact had been made by American representatives. A separate report indicated that Druke remained in contact with family and U.S. officials, and that discussions about release were ongoing from Washington. A remark attributed to Druke reflected a sense of regret about his decision to participate in the conflict.
Additional notes from military authorities suggested that thousands of mercenaries from more than 60 countries had arrived in Ukraine and that since mid-June several hundred foreign fighters had been eliminated in an ongoing operation. The latest figures were provided by official sources within the Russian military apparatus, framed as part of a broader campaign in the region.