A British national who volunteered to fight for Ukraine has been sentenced to 13 years in a maximum security Russian prison camp, prosecutors in Moscow have announced.
Details of the Conviction and Capture
Hayden Davies, aged 30 and originally from Southampton, was tried on Thursday, 18 December 2025, by a court in the Russian-occupied region of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine. He was convicted on charges of acting as a paid mercenary.
Russian authorities released a video showing Mr Davies, with a shaven head and wearing a black coat, being questioned from behind bars. When asked if he pleaded guilty, he replied "yeah" and nodded. It remains unclear whether his statement was made under duress.
In the footage, Davies stated he travelled to Ukraine to join the International Legion for the Defence of Ukraine, a military unit for foreign volunteers, which paid him between $400 and $500 per month. He is reported to have previously served in the British armed forces.
The UK Government's Position and Wider Context
The British Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has not yet commented on this specific sentence. However, the UK government has previously stated it considers Mr Davies a prisoner of war entitled to protections under the Geneva Conventions.
London has also condemned in the past what it calls Russia's exploitation of prisoners for political and propaganda purposes. The International Legion is believed to include thousands of foreign volunteers, including many Britons, who joined following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Prosecutors allege Davies arrived in western Ukraine in August 2024, signed a contract with the Legion, underwent training, and subsequently fought against Russian forces in Donetsk. He was captured in the winter of 2024 while allegedly carrying a US-made assault rifle and ammunition.
A Pattern of Sentences for Foreign Fighters
This case follows a similar pattern of Russian judicial actions against foreign nationals fighting for Ukraine. In March 2025, another British man, James Scott Rhys Anderson, was sentenced to 19 years in prison after being found guilty of fighting in the Kursk region.
These proceedings, conducted by courts in occupied Ukrainian territories which are not internationally recognised, are viewed by Ukraine and its Western allies as illegitimate. The sentencing occurs amidst ongoing heavy fighting in the Donetsk region, which Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed as Russian territory.
