Aiden Aslin has spoken of his time being detained by Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine – and says he was punched in the face when they first found out he was British.

Mr Aslin was one of five Britons released this week as part of a prisoner swap that saw dozens of POWs exchanged between Ukraine and Russia.

He had been captured alongside compatriot Shaun Pinner by Russian forces who accused them of being mercenaries and was subsequently threatened with death by firing squad after appearing at a Russian-backed court.

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In an interview with The Sun on Sunday, Mr Aslin recounted his experiences in detention.

“I was in solitary confinement for five months. I wasn’t allowed to walk,” he told the newspaper.

He described how he and three others were made to sleep in a cell measuring two metres by two-and-a-half metres on a mat infested with lice.

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“We also had to sing the Russian national anthem every morning. And if you didn’t sing it you would get punished for it.

“You could get beaten or they would punish you some way or another.”

Mr Aslin also talked about the moment his captors realised where he was from.

“As soon as I said Great Britain I got a straight punch to the nose. He beat me pretty good.”

As he speaks in the on-camera interview with the news outlet about his interrogation, Mr Aslin shows tattoos on his arm.

“He told me to take the jacket off, and he saw this trident (tattoo), and I got beat for this again, for the Ukrainian trident.

“And they asked what this tattoo was. And that’s when I told them that I was in Syria before.”

Mr Aslin said he was beaten again and the man took out his knife.

“And he says if you don’t tell me who you’re with right now I’m going to cut your ear off.”

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