Ukraine-Russia war: Execution of British soldiers captured by Russian forces

Two British and a Moroccan national detained by Russian forces in Ukraine have been sentenced to death, the Russian-owned news agency RIA Novosti reported.

Aiden Aslin, 26, of Nottinghamshire, Britain; Shaun Pinar, 48, of Bedfordshire; This court is run by pro-Russian rebels.

This court is not internationally recognized. It is virtually a court loyal to Russia

They are accused of acting as mercenaries. They are also accused of seizing power through violence, overthrowing Donetsk's constitutional system and training to carry out terrorist activities

Their lawyers say they will appeal the ruling.

However, the families of the two British men said they were serving in the Ukrainian military.

It is said that both of them have been living in Ukraine since 2016.

Both are said to have been members of the Ukrainian armed forces, and the United Kingdom has made it clear that they are prisoners of war and have the right to be pardoned.

Britain says it should not have faced trial for taking part in the war

"The Supreme Court of the Donetsk People's Republic has sentenced British Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinar and Saud Brahim of Morocco to death for the first time," the RIA Novosti news agency reported.

The two British detainees were produced in a court in the area controlled by pro-Russian rebels yesterday. They were detained in the Donetsk People's Republic

A video footage of them appearing in court shows Mr. Aslin and Mr. Pinar only confirmed in court that he was aware of the charges against him and that he was satisfied that the trial was going on without eyewitness testimony.

They could stand without any help and seemed to know where they were.

The region was established as a self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic by pro-Russian separatists in 2014