MOSCOW, February 28. /TASS/. Russian courts have convicted over 280 members of the Ukrainian armed forces of perpetrating crimes against the civilian population in Donbass, Russian Investigative Committee Chairman Alexander Bastrykin said in an interview with TASS.

"To date, more than 280 service members of the Ukrainian armed forces have been convicted in criminal cases launched by the Investigative Committee. Most of them admitted their guilt during the investigatory phase as there was conclusive incriminating evidence to prove the charges," he noted.

Bastrykin specified that over 20 Ukrainian servicemen had been sentenced to life imprisonment. "Others were sentenced to various prison terms based on their role and the extent of participation in a specific crime or several offenses. Some were sentenced to 20 years behind bars and others to 30 years. The average prison term in such cases stands at 23 years," the top law enforcement official added.

According to Bastrykin, some Ukrainian troops openly spoke about how they had killed civilians, shelled their cars and tortured captives. They stressed, however, that they were just acting on orders from their commanders. "Still, it’s clear to everyone that those pulling the trigger understand the consequences of what they are doing and there can be absolutely no excuse for such actions," the Investigative Committee chairman noted.