Two British men captured by Russian forces while fighting alongside Ukrainian soldiers face 20 years in prison, according to a video shared by Russian state media.
Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner, who served in the Ukrainian army, were arrested in April while fighting in Mariupol.
The British appeared in the courts of the Donetsk separatist People’s Republic (DPR). Aslin, 28, and Pinner, 48, say they admitted “training to carry out terrorist activities.”
In images shared on Wednesday by Ria Novosti, a Russian state news agency, on social media, a performer can be heard asking Aslin, from Newark, Nottinghamshire, if he “pleads guilty” to a crime. answer, “Yes.”
The indictment carries a sentence of 15 to 20 years in prison with a restriction of one to two years or life imprisonment, according to Ria Novosti.
The video appeared to show the two Britons in the dock in the Supreme Court of Prussian territory alongside a third man, who is said to have been Saaudun Brahim, a Moroccan national who was also captured.
It is also said that Pinner, of Watford and Bedfordshire, will face a longer term and possibly the death penalty after admitting to having “taken power by force”.
It is understood that the men are the first Ukrainian soldiers to be tried by pro-Russian forces.
It comes hours after Conservative MP Robert Jenrick said Aslin should be returned to Ukraine at the earliest opportunity, potentially through a prisoner exchange, and condemn the “false charges” facing the two Britons.
Former housing secretary and Newark MP told BBC Radio 4’s World At One program: “This is a British citizen, but he also has Ukrainian nationality, is married to a Ukrainian, joined the forces Ukrainian navies in the normal way before [Vladimir] Putin’s illegal invasion, and he has been serving in the armed forces.
“He was taken prisoner by Russian forces and, in accordance with international law and the Geneva Convention, should be properly detained and returned to Ukraine as soon as possible, possibly through an exchange of prisoners.
“Instead, the Putin regime has chosen to try him and another Briton, Shaun Pinner, for false accusations, without any evidence.
“I fear this is a completely outrageous violation of international law and should be condemned.”
On Monday, Secretary of Justice Dominic Raab said the Foreign Ministry “will make all representations” on behalf of Aslin and his family also issued a statement calling for his release. The statement said: “We are currently working with the Ukrainian government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to try to bring Aiden home. Aiden is a much-loved and much-missed man, and we hope that he will be released very soon.”
Ukraine has sentenced three Russian soldiers to prison for war crimes linked to the Russian offensive that began on February 24.
Vadim Shishimarin, 21, was sentenced to life in prison for killing a 62-year-old civilian in the Sumy region of northeastern Ukraine early in the war.
Two soldiers, Alexander Bobikin and Alexander Ivanov, were each sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for bombing attacks on population centers that “violated the laws and customs of war.”