The family of a Briton sentenced to death by pro-Russian separatists has reacted with shock at the verdict in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic. The British Foreign Office said on Saturday on behalf of the relatives that the entire family of the 48-year-old was “devastated and saddened by the outcome of the illegal show trial by the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic”.
As a Ukrainian resident and contract mariner, he should be given full POW rights under the Geneva Convention, the PA news agency said in the statement. This also includes fully independent legal representation.
Foreign fighters sentenced to death
The Supreme Court of the separatist People’s Republic of Donetsk (DPR) on Thursday sentenced three foreign fighters in the ranks of the Ukrainian armed forces to death as mercenaries. Among them were two British and a Moroccan. The two Britons were captured by pro-Russian forces in the southeastern Ukrainian port city of Mariupol in mid-April. According to media reports, both had lived and married in Ukraine before the war.
Outbreak of disease in Mariupol
Chaos and destruction have reigned in Mariupol itself since the Russians took it, and cholera and dysentery have now broken out, said Mayor Wadym Boychenko, who resides outside the city. “The war, which has killed more than 20,000 people, will sadly claim the lives of thousands more in Mariupol with these outbreaks of infection.”
Bodies perish in the streets. Parts of the water supply have been polluted and sanitation facilities destroyed. Bojchenko called on the United Nations and the Red Cross to set up escape routes to allow residents to leave the city, which had been largely destroyed by the war. The World Health Organization (WHO) said no concrete reports of outbreaks of the disease had yet been received, but the risk was very high.
Meanwhile, according to British findings, “intense street fighting” between Russian and Ukrainian troops has raged in Sievjerodonetsk, which had been fought over for weeks. The Ministry of Defense in London said there were likely numerous casualties on both sides, citing intelligence findings. Sievjerodonetsk is considered strategically important. Should Russia take the small industrial town, it would be a serious setback for Ukraine in its attempt to defend Donbass.
German Chancellor travels to Kiev
It has now been announced that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will travel to Kiev in June. That reports the “Bild am Sonntag” with reference to Italian and French government circles. Scholz will travel to the Ukrainian capital together with French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi. The trip was scheduled for the G7 summit at the end of June.
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.
