Russian court sentences 15 Ukrainian soldiers to prison for terrorism
## Conviction of Ukrainian Soldiers in Russian Court
Conviction of Ukrainian Soldiers in Russian Court
A Russian military court has convicted 15 Ukrainian soldiers on terrorism charges, sentencing them to prison terms ranging from 15 to 21 years. The Second Western District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don issued these sentences to members of Ukraine's Aidar battalion. This marks the second mass prosecution of Ukrainian prisoners of war, following the conviction of 23 soldiers from the Azov brigade in March on similar charges.
The Russian human rights organization Memorial has criticized the trial, stating it violated the Geneva Conventions. According to Memorial, prosecuting prisoners of war solely for participating in armed conflict contravenes international law. The defendants were identified as political prisoners, prosecuted for their affiliation with the Aidar battalion rather than for specific alleged war crimes.
A Russian military court has convicted 15 Ukrainian soldiers on terrorism charges, sentencing them to prison terms ranging from 15 to 21 years.
Russia has labeled both the Azov and Aidar units as terrorist organizations, accusing them of committing atrocities. These battalions were established after Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and were involved in combat against Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, before being integrated into Ukraine's armed forces. The trial took place near the Ukrainian border, in a city that hosts Russia's Southern Military District headquarters, and was primarily conducted behind closed doors.
Based on reporting by Africanews.
