Freed British PoW finally reunited with devoted Ukrainian wife after months apart
FREED British prisoner of war Shaun Pinner has finally been reunited with his devoted Ukrainian wife after months apart.
Brave Shaun, 48, flew into the arms of Larysa, 43, who gave him with a new wedding ring to replace the one his Russian tormentors stole.
Shaun, who served with the Ukrainian military for four years, was captured during the siege of Mariupol in April.
He was repeatedly tortured and later paraded before the cameras at a show trial in the Russian-controlled Donetsk People's Republic.
Shaun and fellow Brit Aiden Aslin, 28, were sentenced to death despite an international outcry over their treatment.
But in a dramatic twist ex-Chelsea boss Roman Abramovich brokered a stunning prisoner swap last month that secured their release.
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Shaun flew back to the UK but had to wait until Friday for Larysa to join him.
He told the Sun on Sunday: "We haven't seen each other since January when I was last on leave.
"It was extremely emotional. All of the memories flooded back. It's like none of it ever happened.
"Larysa gave me a new silver wedding band to replace the one the Russians stole from me. She noticed it had gone when I went in front of the cameras.
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"It goes without saying but I started bubbling up.
"We've spent the last couple of days sight-seeing in London. We've been on the London Eye and to Buckingham Palace and we've switched off from the war.
"We've just had time for us - and my family."
Shaun, a former soldier with the Royal Anglian Regiment, lost 20 kilos in captivity and survived only on bread and water.
Speaking to the Sun on Sunday last month he revealed: "I thought I was going to die.
"It was hell on earth.
"Before I was captured in Mariupol it was so bad I called Larysa and I gave her my death message. But she didn’t even cry.
“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.”
He was held in an underground Soviet prison and electrocuted for fun by Vladimir Putin's goons. They asked him which football team he supported.
When he replied 'West Ham United' they zapped him before he began yelling 'Shakhtar Donetsk' in a bid to appease them.
He added: "A guy came in and put a pistol to the back of my head, cocked it and said ‘You are going to die now’. I thought that was the end for me.
"He then started laughing and said he was joking and pistol whipped me.";
Layrsa is due to return to their home in Dnipro next week. Shaun, who is still waiting for a new passport, plans to join her in the future.
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He said: "A lot of people forget this, but Ukraine has been my home for over four years. My life is there. I want to go back.
"In the meantime, I've put weight back on and even smoked a cigar. I'll smoke another one when we win the war."