Ukrainian soldiers sentenced by Donetsk court spark outrage
A court in occupied Donetsk sentenced nine Ukrainian soldiers, defenders of Mariupol, to prison terms ranging from 24 years to life. The verdicts faced criticism from the international community.
10:33 AM EST, December 11, 2024
Nine Ukrainian soldiers, who defended Mariupol, received sentences from a court in occupied Donetsk, ranging from 24 years to life imprisonment. This information was reported by the Mariupol City Council, which operates in Ukrainian territories. The sentences were announced by a court of the unrecognized Donetsk People's Republic.
Ukraine. Who are the sentenced soldiers?
The sentenced soldiers belong to the 31st Independent Marine Infantry Brigade and were defending Mariupol since the onset of the Russian invasion. They were accused of shelling the Stary Krym district in Mariupol in March 2022. After nearly three months of intense fighting in besieged Azovstal, they surrendered to Russian forces in May 2022.
Ukraine. Mariupol defenders to be sent to penal colony
The soldiers will serve their sentences in a high-security penal colony. "In occupied Donetsk, the so-called court of the Donetsk People's Republic sentenced nine soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The occupiers accused them of shelling the Stary Krym district in Mariupol in March 2022 and sentenced them to terms ranging from 24 years in prison to life imprisonment. The defenders will serve their sentences in a high-security penal colony," informed the Mariupol City Council.
The decision of the court in Donetsk was met with criticism from the international community, which does not recognize the legality of the Donetsk People's Republic. These sentences are viewed as part of a broader strategy of repression against Ukrainian defenders who resisted Russian aggression.
