Ukrainian POW says he was forced to listen to ABBA repeatedly during torture sessions

A British soldier who was captured by Russian-backed troops in war-torn Ukraine claimed that while he was being tortured, he was made to repeatedly listen to "Mamma Mia" by ABBA. During his detention as a prisoner of war in Russia, hostage Shaun Pinner endured electrocution, stabbings, a fake execution, and forced listening to ABBA. According to Lad Bible, he was even prodded with a cattle prod. The 48-year-old ex-British Army soldier survived the torture on rations of stale bread and tainted water. 

Furthermore, Pinner was forced to sit through 24-hour-long marathons of ABBA's "Mamma Mia" on repeat. According to The Sun report, he was beaten if he slept outside the hours set by guards, while ABBA and the heavy metal band Slipknot played continuously throughout the day. 

Pinner told The Sun that after experiencing "hell on Earth," he was delighted to come home. He said, “I thought I was going to die. The past six months have been the worst days of my life". He added, “I never want to hear another ABBA song again. I hated them anyway so it really was torture." "I just am so lucky to be home," he noted.

The Brit fought for Ukraine on behalf of his wife's homeland

Following Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine on February 24, the Brit fought for the war-torn nation on behalf of his wife's homeland. He was a contract soldier in the Ukrainian army, previously having served in the Royal Anglian Regiment, The Sun reported. When Putin authorised the invasion, Pinner was battling pro-Russian insurgents in the Donbas area alongside Ukrainian soldiers. 

Notably, one of the five British POWs who were freed on September 21 was Pinner. After almost six months of suffering, he finally returned to British soil after being taken prisoner in April during the siege of Mariupol. 

Shaun Pinner recalled the terrible day when he had to make his last phone call to his wife Larysa. He told The Sun, "I knew it was bad so I called my wife and I gave her my death message. But she didn’t even cry". He continued by saying, “She just screamed at me that I was a warrior and that I would survive. Those were the last words I heard from her and they kept me going." 

Furthermore, when Pinner was instructed to pack up his belongings, he believed that his life was about to end. However, in the place of execution, he was part of a prisoner exchange brokered by Roman Abramovich, a Russian oligarch and ex-owner of Chelsea Football Club. 

(Image: AP)