A British aid worker taken captive by Russian proxies in occupied Ukraine has died from unspecified illness and “stress,” the Russian-backed authorities claimed Friday. Paul Urey, who has been held in Donetsk since he was captured in April and accused of being a mercenary, died on July 10, according to Darya Morozova, a human-rights ombudsman for the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic. In a statement on Telegram that began by vilifying Urey as a “British mercenary,” Morozova claimed Urey had suffered from “chronic illnesses,” including heart problems and diabetes. “From our side, despite the severity of the alleged crime, Paul Urey received the corresponding medical help. Nevertheless, considering his diagnoses and stress, he passed away on July 10,” Morozova wrote.
