Simeon Boikov has been variously described as a misinformation spreader, serial pest and Russian pawn or signup to continue reading But he may prove a "useful idiot" for the Australian government in securing the freedom of captured Melbourne man Oscar Jenkins. Mr Boikov has been holed up in the Russian consulate in Sydney's eastern suburbs since December 2022, after being charged with assaulting an elderly man at a pro-Ukraine protest in Sydney's CBD. While the self-styled "Aussie Cossack" is seeking asylum with the Russians of his own accord and is not a prisoner of the Australian judicial system, opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said he could be used in an exchange to secure Mr Jenkins' release. "If he potentially proves himself to be, shall I say, a useful idiot in terms of a possibility for a Christmas swap, well that is something for the government to consider as it looks at ways to potentially bring an Australian free and break him from Russian custody," Senator Birmingham told ABC Radio on Tuesday. Mr Boikov volunteered himself to be exchanged with Mr Jenkins in a video posted on social media platform Telegram. "I'm sure the Russians will be happy to accept," Mr Boikov said. "We should bring him home, he shouldn't have been in Ukraine. "Let's do a deal." In a video posted to Russian social media on Sunday, Mr Jenkins is repeatedly slapped and interrogated by a Russian-speaking man assumed to be his captor. The man asks Mr Jenkins how it was he came to be in Kramatorsk, a town 700km east of Kyiv in the Donbas region, near the Russian-Ukrainian frontline. Standing in a forest and dressed in army fatigues, Mr Jenkins tells the man he wanted to help Ukraine. The footage was disturbing, Senator Birmingham said. "Obviously, all Australians would want to see and have confidence that this Australian citizen is going to be treated humanely, fairly, in accordance with the type of rules that should apply to prisoners of war," he said. Parading prisoners of war on social media is a breach of the , which dictates that they must at all times be protected against insults and public curiosity. The Australian government was making representations to Russia about Mr Jenkins, acting foreign affairs minister Mark Dreyfus said. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was yet to determine his whereabouts but was first made aware about concerns for Mr Jenkins' wellbeing in November, the ABC reported. People close to the 32-year-old have not known his whereabouts for months. "If that's the case, then what steps has Australia taken to try to ascertain his whereabouts and seek to ensure his well being?" Senator Birmingham said. While Mr Jenkins is believed to be the first Australian captured while fighting against Russia in Ukraine, at least seven Australians are believed to have died in the conflict. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Nationals leader David Littleproud have both implored Australians not to go over. "This isn't some great adventure," Mr Littleproud told Nine's Today Show. "I had to bring back the remains of a young man from my own electorate, Jed Danahay, who was over there as a medic helping Ukrainians in the war zone and was tragically killed. "I never forget the look and the anguish and the pain in his mother's eyes when I handed back his ashes to her." Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. We care about the protection of your data. Read our . Advertisement

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In a statement issued by his legal team, Liu Yusheng has denied any wrongdoing and expressed his commitment to cooperating fully with the investigation. He maintains his innocence and hopes to clear his name of any allegations of misconduct.NEW YORK: The man accused of gunning down a health insurance executive in a brazen hit in New York that sparked fierce debate about the industry pleaded not guilty Monday to state charges including “terrorist” murder. Luigi Mangione wore a white shirt, burgundy sweatshirt and was shackled during his appearance in a Manhattan court where he was flanked by police officers. Monday’s hearing came after Mangione, 26, appeared in a New York court last week to face federal charges also including murder following his dramatic extradition by plane and helicopter from Pennsylvania, where he was arrested at a McDonald’s restaurant. The suspect is charged in both state and federal court in the December 4 shooting of UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson. Thompson’s murder brought to the surface deep public frustration with the expensive and opaque US medical insurance system, with many social media users painting Mangione as a hero. People demonstrating against the industry gathered outside court Monday brandishing banners reading “free Luigi” and “innocent until proven guilty.” If convicted in the state case, Mangione could face life imprisonment with no parole. In the federal case, he could technically face the death penalty. Mangioni’s attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo has previously sought clarity on how simultaneous federal and state charges would work, calling the situation “highly unusual.” Agnifilo raised concerns on Monday that Mangione could not receive a fair trial, and questioned why New York mayor Eric Adams had been present when Mangione was brought off a police helicopter at a Manhattan helipad last week. Aginifilo told local media Monday that officials “are treating him like he is like some sort of political fodder.” She said the sight of Mangione flanked by rifle-wielding tactical officers during the final stage of his extradition that was widely broadcast was “utterly political.” Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on December 9 following a tip from staff at a McDonald’s restaurant, after a days-long manhunt. He had traveled to New York by bus from Atlanta about 10 days before the crime, the Department of Justice said. After checking into a Manhattan hostel with false identification, he allegedly performed reconnaissance near the victim’s hotel and the conference venue where the shooting took place. Early on December 4, Mangione allegedly tracked Thompson, walked up behind him and fired several gunshots from a pistol with a silencer, prosecutors allege. Afterward, he fled on a bicycle. Police say a “life-changing, life-altering” back injury may have motivated Mangione, although there was no indication he was ever a client of UnitedHealthcare. — AFP

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