The two Britons sentenced to death by pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine are regular soldiers, according to Ukrainian sources. “All those who come to fight on the Ukrainian side are signing documents with our armed forces, giving them official status,” the region’s governor Serhiy Hajday said on Friday. “Therefore, if they are taken prisoner of war, they are subject to the Geneva Convention.”
Therefore, they should not be sentenced to death, even if they are not Ukrainians, Hajdaj said. The governor said he knew the men’s lawyers had already appealed the court’s unrecognized ruling. “What’s happening only happens under political pressure from Russia,” Hajdaj said.
“False judgment without any legitimacy”
The two Britons, aged 28 and 48, surrendered to pro-Russian forces after weeks of fighting in the southeastern Ukrainian port of Mariupol. According to media reports, they lived in Ukraine before the war and also got married there. Together with a Moroccan, they were sentenced to death on Thursday as mercenaries.
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss called it a “false judgment without any legitimacy”. She wanted to discuss the procedure with her Ukrainian colleague Dmytro Kuleba as soon as possible.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
