A photograph of Aiden Aslin was posted online by pro-Russian social media accounts, which shows him restrained on a chair with facial injuries.

Aiden Aslin's family have appealed for him to be treated humanely after seeing the reports of his capture.Russian sources have claimed that the British man, who is originally from Newark in Nottinghamshire, has been captured in the besieged city of Mariupol.A Russian state TV broadcast forcibly interviewed Aiden, where they called him "an English mercenary who fought on the side of the 'Nazis' in Mariupol'.The interview was later promoted by Andrey Rudenko, a prominent Russian television correspondent, who posted the first image of Mr Aslin after his capture.

This was later shared by Aiden's official social media account in an effort to raise awareness. The photograph shows Mr Aslin in handcuffs with a laceration across his forehead and facial bruising.The 28-year-old's unit had been defending the southern city of Mariupol which has been heavily attacked by Russian troops. On Tuesday, Mr Aslin posted on Twitter: "It's been 48 days, we tried our best to defend Mariupol but we have no choice but to surrender to Russian forces."Mr Aslin is a former care worker who previously fought with Kurdish armed units in Syria against the so-called Islamic State. He passed as a marine in Ukraine's military in 2018 and his family understands that his current unit is the 36th Marine Brigade.

Comments From Aiden Aslin's Family

Nathan Wood, Aslin's brother, told the MailOnline that it was "shocking" to see him in such a state."What have the Russians done to him? He looks awful, absolutely exhausted. His face is drained of colour. How has he got such a big red mark on his forehead? That looks like he's been hit with a rifle butt."But however horrible it is to see him in such a state, it does show that he is still alive and that is giving us as a family some slight relief.

I would appeal again to the Russians to treat him well and humanely."There is no doubt now that he has been captured. I had hoped talk of his unit surrendering was just a smokescreen but the images now clearly show he's in Russian captivity."Aiden's mother would comment that the picture (shown above) was defiantly her son - "It's Aiden I can't deny it. It's him."They are his tattoos. There is a faint hope it is a doctored image but I can't see it. I now hold Valdimir Putin to the terms of the Geneva Convention."Aiden is a serving member of the Ukrainian armed forces and as such is a prisoner of war and must be treated with humanity."It already looks like he has been beaten up. It is time now for the British Government to get involved and help secure Aiden's release because he is still a British citizen.