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Military operation in Ukraine

London ‘working closely’ with Kiev authorities on issue of UK POWs accused of mercenarism

We are already working closely with Ukrainian authorities, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s spokesperson said

LONDON, June 8./TASS/. The UK is cooperating with Ukrainian authorities on the issue of two British subjects, who took part in combat activities on the side of Ukraine and are now under trial in the Donetsk People’s Republic, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s spokesperson said in reply to a question from TASS on Wednesday.

"We are already working closely with Ukrainian authorities to stress the need to treat any prisoners of war particularly of course British prisoners of war in accordance with international law which includes not exploiting them for political purposes and the combatant immunity that they are entitled to in under Geneva convention. We are already making these representations and will continue to do so," she said.

The British authorities have not tried to contact Russia yet over the future of British mercenaries who had participated in hostilities in Donbass on Kiev’s side and currently stand trial in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the media on Wednesday.

Peskov believes that if the UK decides to appeal a future sentence to be handed to the mercenaries, in this way it will in fact recognize the sovereignty of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the legitimacy of its investigative and judicial authorities.

UK citizens Sean Pinner and Aiden Aislin, as well as Morocco citizen Saadun Brahim, charged with participation in the Ukrainian conflict as mercenaries, partially admitted their guilt during the Supreme Court hearing on Wednesday.

On Monday, the DPR Supreme Court commenced the hearing of the trio’s case in substance.

Previously, the Prosecutor General’s Office of the republic said that, during the questioning of Pinner, Aislin and Brahim, they were found involved in crimes, classified as "crime committed in a group", "forced seizure of power or forced holding of power," and "mercenarism." According to a senior Prosecutor General’s Office official Viktor Gavrilov, the trio may be sentenced to capital punishment.

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Military operation in Ukraine

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