A British prisoner captured by the Russians in Ukraine has revealed that they forced him to listen to the Swedish group “ABBA”, 24 hours a day.
Shaun Pinner, 48, who was released in a prisoner swap arranged by Saudi Arabia, said he was stabbed, electrocuted and forced to listen to the Mamma Mia soundtrack.
He was also given only stale bread and dirty water to survive. After being sentenced to death by Russian courts in June, Pinner was moved to another cell, but the musical torture continued.
He said “The conditions were better but they still played music – and this time it was Believe by Cher”.
“We had our dark days and I cried a lot. We had to lean on some kind of hope and that’s how I survived.”
“The last six months have been the worst days of my life. I never want to hear an ABBA song or see a piece of bread ever again. I’m just very lucky to be home.”
Pinner is now back home with his family in Potton, Bedfordshire.
Nine other foreign prisoners were also released in the secret deal between Russia and Ukraine, including Aiden Aslin, 28, who said he was stabbed, beaten and forced to listen to Soviet songs.