A British man who fought in Ukraine has been sentenced to 13 years in a maximum-security prison, Russia’s prosecutor’s office reported on Thursday.

The 22-year-old Hayden Davis, a former British soldier whom Russia described as a mercenary, was reportedly captured in Ukraine’s Donbas region in late 2024 or early 2025 while serving in the foreign legion.

He was tried by a Russian-controlled court in the city of Donetsk, which is under Moscow’s occupation.

In a statement, Russian prosecutors said Davis joined the Ukrainian army in August 2024 and “took part in military operations against the Russian armed forces” in Donetsk.

A Russian court sentenced British citizen Hayden Davies to 13 years in a maximum security prison camp after convicting him of being a paid mercenary who fought for Ukraine against Russian forces in Donetsk, Russian-controlled Ukraine https://t.co/88SOAZu7gF pic.twitter.com/vvB4pxuqH9

— Reuters (@Reuters) December 18, 2025

In court footage released by prosecutors, a man with a British accent is seen speaking through an interpreter while standing inside a cage, a common practice in many Russian court hearings.

He is heard saying that he was a member of the Ukrainian army’s foreign legion and traveled to Ukraine by bus via Poland. He was paid $400–500 per month.

When asked whether he pleaded guilty, he answered “yes” and nodded his head.

The BBC notes that it is unclear whether he was speaking under duress.

He is the first Briton to be convicted by Russia during the war in Ukraine.

The UK Foreign Office said it strongly condemns the conviction, which it described as being based on “false charges,” adding that Davis was a prisoner of war.

Under international law, prisoners of war cannot be prosecuted for taking part in hostilities, the ministry emphasized. “We demand that Russia respect these obligations, including those arising from the Geneva Conventions, and stop using prisoners of war for political and propaganda purposes.”