MOSCOW, July 18. /TASS/. London had ignored the possibility of talks with the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) on swapping British mercenary Paul Urey, who died in captivity on July 10, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement on Monday.

"We had repeatedly pointed out to the British that Paul Urey’s fate should be discussed with the authorities of the DPR, a sovereign and independent state. However, London ignored that, particularly paying no attention to the possibility of talks on the British national’s return home through a prisoner swap," she pointed out.

The diplomat added that "Urey suffered from a number of chronic diseases, including type 1 diabetes." "However, the United Kingdom did not bother to send medications for him via the ICRC," Zakharova stressed. "Still, the Donetsk authorities provided him with all the necessary medical care," she added.

The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman also highlighted "London’s inappropriate desire to politicize the situation and raise tensions around the British national’s death in the DPR." "However, according to the DPR authorities, he was far from a civilian but a professional soldier who earlier served in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya, and later led combat operations and trained Ukrainian service members. DPR People’s Militia officers detained Urey during a breakthrough attempt at a checkpoint in April," Zakharova noted.

She also said that "some in London seek to take advantage of these developments and the related human tragedy in order to hype up a media scandal and ‘score points’ in the fight for the position of the British Conservative Party leader."

DPR Ombudsperson Darya Morozova announced earlier that Urey had died in captivity from chronic diseases and depression.