Russian court sentences 15 Ukrainian soldiers to prison for terrorism

A Russian military court convicted 15 captured Ukrainian soldiers on terrorism charges Friday, sentencing them to prison terms of up to 21 years in a proceeding widely condemned by Kyiv and human rights groups as a sham violation of international law.

The Second Western District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don handed down sentences ranging from 15 to 21 years to members of Ukraine's Aidar battalion.

The verdict represents the second mass prosecution of Ukrainian prisoners of war, following the March conviction of 23 soldiers from the Azov brigade on similar charges.

Ukraine's human rights envoy, Dmytro Lubinets, had previously denounced the Aidar trial as "shameful," asserting that "Russia is making criminals out of those who defended their native land."

Legal proceedings defy Geneva conventions

The prominent Russian human rights organization Memorial, which has designated the defendants as political prisoners, argued the trial fundamentally violated the Geneva Conventions.

"This grossly violates the provisions of the Geneva Convention, which prohibits the prosecution of prisoners of war solely for their participation in an armed conflict," the group stated.

Memorial emphasized the soldiers were prosecuted merely for serving in Aidar, not for any specific alleged war crimes.

Historical context of volunteer battalions

Russia has designated both the Azov and Aidar units as terrorist organizations, accusing them of committing atrocities.

These volunteer battalions were formed following Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and saw heavy combat against Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine before being formally integrated into Ukraine's armed forces.

The trial, held near the Ukrainian border in a city housing Russia's Southern Military District headquarters, was conducted mostly behind closed doors, with journalists permitted only at the opening sessions and for the verdict announcement.