Former Civil Servant Investigated for Alleged War Crimes in Ukraine
Counter Terrorism Police in the UK are investigating a British national for alleged war crimes committed during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The suspect, Graham Phillips, a 46-year-old former civil servant, is facing scrutiny over two primary incidents: filming a disturbing video involving pigs and deceased Ukrainian soldiers, and his interrogation of a captured British soldier.
Chilling Footage from the Donbas
The investigation centres on a video posted in August 2022, which shows Phillips in the Donbas region alongside Russian soldiers. In the footage, pigs are seen consuming the remains of Ukrainian soldiers while Phillips films and openly mocks the dead. He is heard picking up a dead soldier's ID and asking, 'Is Yuri tasty?' before commenting, 'It's a buffet. He's also eating! Munching, munching and munching.' He adds, 'They're not even shy. Eat, be healthy,' and makes a further sadistic remark: 'It turns out he was useful for someone.'
Phillips has admitted to filming the video but defends his actions, stating he saw no reason to intervene. He told The Sun that the Ukrainian soldiers had come 'to murder the civilians of Donbas' and consequently 'ended up becoming pig fodder.'
Interrogation of a British Prisoner of War
In a separate allegation, Phillips is being investigated for his treatment of British prisoner of war Aiden Aslin, 31. Mr Aslin, who was serving with Ukrainian forces, was captured during the battle for Mariupol in April 2022. He endured a 45-minute interrogation while handcuffed and injured. Phillips allegedly taunted him about the possibility of facing the death penalty under the laws of the self-proclaimed 'Donetsk People's Republic.'
Footage of this interrogation was posted online but was later removed by Facebook and YouTube. Another British PoW, Shaun Pinner, 52, who was also captured, tortured, and sentenced to death before being released in a prisoner swap, has stated that Phillips's interrogation of Mr Aslin represents 'one of the clearest examples' of a breach of the Geneva Convention.
Ongoing Investigation and Potential Precedent
A spokesperson for Counter Terrorism Policing confirmed that their War Crimes Team opened an investigation in March 2022 after an initial assessment. The investigation remains ongoing, and officers are liaising with the Crown Prosecution Service and international partners. No arrests have been made, and no one has been interviewed under caution at this stage.
Graham Phillips is already notable as the only British citizen to be sanctioned by the UK government. If charged, he would become the first British national to face a war crimes trial in the UK concerning the conflict that began with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Phillips, who hails from Nottingham and previously wrote a blog featuring posts about Ukrainian women and his personal life, denies any wrongdoing. He stated that he would have a 'clear conscience' and cooperate with any investigation, maintaining that he is 'patriotic' and looks forward to returning to the UK.
