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A Russian military court has sentenced 15 captured Ukrainian soldiers to prison terms of up to 21 years after convicting them of terrorism, in a move strongly denounced by Kyiv and international human rights organisations as a blatant breach of international law.
The Second Western District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don handed down sentences ranging from fifteen to twenty-one years to members of Ukraine’s Aidar Battalion.
This marks the second mass prosecution of Ukrainian prisoners of war, following a similar case in March involving twenty-three soldiers from the Azov Brigade.
Ukraine’s human rights commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets, condemned the proceedings as “shameful,” asserting that “Russia is making criminals out of those who defended their native land.”
The Russian rights group Memorial also criticised the trial, declaring it a violation of the Geneva Conventions, which prohibit the prosecution of prisoners of war merely for participating in conflict.
The organisation noted that the men were punished solely for their service in Aidar, not for any specific crimes.
Russia has classified both the Azov and Aidar battalions as terrorist groups, accusing them of atrocities during the war.
These volunteer units emerged after the 2014 annexation of Crimea and fought in eastern Ukraine before being integrated into the national army.
The trial took place near the Ukrainian border, largely behind closed doors, with limited media access except during the opening and final sessions.
