Donetsk, Jul 15 — DAN. A captured British mercenary, Paul Urey, who fought on the Ukrainian side, has died in the DPR, the Republic’s Ombudswoman Daria Morozova said. 

Urey was captured while attempting to break through a DPR block-post in April. He was in charge of combat operations, as well as recruiting and training Ukrainian militants. Before the Donbass conflict, he took part in combat action in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya, being a career military. 

“International organizations and Britain’s officials (the Foreign Office, Embassy in Russia, MPs) have been notified of Urey’s capture. Also, at his request, relevant information was passed to foreign media. Nevertheless, no reaction from the British side followed,”  Morozova said. 

According to the Ombudswoman, Urey suffered a number of medical conditions, such as insulin-dependent diabetes, respiratory and kidneys complications, cardiovascular  diseases. He was also depressed because of his country’s indifference.

“He realized that the Great Britain has ignored all the opportunities to negotiate his return as part of the captives exchange process. No necessary medication have been supplied through the ICRC. On our part, despite the gravity of his crimes, the required medical aid has been provided to Paul Urey. Nevertheless, given the diagnoses and stress, he died on July 10,” Morozova said.

The Appeals Chamber of the Donetsk People’s Republic Supreme Court handed down on June 9 death sentences to three foreign mercenaries who had fought on the side of Ukrainian armed formations. The defendants, British nationals Shaun Pinner and Aiden Aslin and a Moroccan national Saadun Brahim, are the first foreign mercenaries to be convicted in the Donetsk People’s Republic. They were accused under four articles of the DPR Criminal Code: committing a crime by a group of persons, violent coup or retention of power by force, mercenarism and training for terrorist activity. The mercenaries pleaded guilty to the charges.

The court found that the mercenaries’ actions led to civilian casualties and damage to the Republic’s social and civil infrastructure. *ot