– I thought I was going to die. It was hell on earth, says Briton Sean Penner in an interview with The Sun.
The 48-year-old Briton stayed He was released Wednesday from Russian captivityafter a court in separatist-controlled Donetsk sentenced him to death in July, for being a foreign mercenary.
Their release was part of what is the largest prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia since February, in which a total of 270 prisoners of war are said to have been released.
It is said that 260,000 men left
He was tortured with ABBA
Benner told the tabloid that in captivity he was forced to listen to ABBA and Cher on repeat, in addition to being stabbed and given electric shocks. He went on to say that he was only given old bread and dirty water.
After he was sentenced to death in July, along with Britain’s Aiden Aslin and Moroccan Ibrahim Saadoum, they were taken to another location where the torture of music continued.
– Conditions were better, but they still played music – and this time it was Believe by Cher, he told The Sun, adding:
– The past six months have been the worst of my life. I don’t want to hear ABBA again or see a loaf of bread. He says I am very lucky to be at home.
Verdict: Britons Aiden Aslin (right), Sean Boehner (right) and Moroccan Soudun Ibrahim (centre) were sentenced to death in July. They were released on Wednesday. Photo: AP/NTB
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Benner lived in Ukraine, and is said to have served as a Marine in the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
give up
Aiden Aslin, who was sentenced to death at the same time as Benner, told about it too Difficult times in captivity in Russia.
– I never thought I would live, says Aslin in an interview with the sun.
Prisoner of war: British foreign fighter Aiden Aslin, 28, is said to have surrendered to Russian forces, having defended the port city of Mariupol along with defending Ukraine. Photo: screenshot / Twitter page Aslin
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The 28-year-old lived in Ukraine for a number of years, joining Ukrainian government forces when a full-scale war broke out in February, according to the NTB. However, during the siege of Mariupol, his battalion ran out of food and ammunition before surrendering.
According to Aslin, he got punched in the face when they found out he was British. Then he was separated from the others and taken to the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic.
He also says he was stabbed in the back and asked if he wanted a “quick death” or a “beautiful death”.
A greeting video was posted on Wednesday evening Instagramwhere Sean Penner and Aiden Aslin thank everyone who worked to get them out of captivity.
“Coffee trailblazer. Certified pop culture lover. Infuriatingly humble gamer.”
