Death sentences of Britons fighting in Ukraine ‘deeply concerning’, Boris Johnson says

The government will work to try to free two British men sentenced to death by a court of the Russian-backed Donetsk People’s Republic, the prime minister has promised.

A spokesman for Boris Johnson said: “We’re obviously deeply concerned by this.

“We’ve said continually that prisoners of war shouldn’t be exploited for political purposes.

“Under the Geneva convention, prisoners of war are entitled to combatant immunity, and they should not be prosecuted for participation in hostilities.

“So we will continue to work with Ukrainian authorities to try and secure the release of any British national who was serving in the Ukrainian Armed Forces and who are being held as prisoners of war.”

Aiden Aslin, 28, from Nottinghamshire, Shaun Pinner, 48, from Bedfordshire, as well as Saaudun Brahim, from Morocco, who were captured in April, have been handed death sentences by a court that is not recognised internationally.

Mr Aslin and Mr Pinner were both members of regular Ukrainian military units fighting in Mariupol, the southern port city that was destroyed by Russian bombardment.

The men’s families deny they are mercenaries.

Foreign secretary Liz Truss joined Mr Johnson in denouncing the death sentences as a “sham”.

“I utterly condemn the sentencing of Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner held by Russian proxies in eastern Ukraine,” she said.

“They are prisoners of war.

“This is a sham judgment with absolutely no legitimacy.

“My thoughts are with the families. We continue to do everything we can to support them.”

Russian media outlet RIA Novosti reported that the three would face a firing squad.

Interfax, a Russian news agency, claimed they would be able to appeal against their convictions.

The family of Mr Aslin, who is said to also hold Ukrainian nationality, shared an emotional appeal expressing their hopes for his return to the UK.

“We are currently working with the Ukrainian government and the Foreign Office to try and bring Aiden home. Aiden is a much-loved man and very much missed, and we hope that he will be released very soon,” they said.

In May, he was pictured in handcuffs and with wounds to his eyes and forehead.

Mr Aslin’s MP, former Tory minister Robert Jenrick, condemned the “trumped-up charges” and said Russia had breached international law.

He told Radio 4’s World At One on Wednesday: “(Mr Aslin) is a British citizen, but who also holds Ukrainian nationality, is married to a Ukrainian, joined the Ukrainian armed forces in the normal way prior to (Vladimir) Putin’s illegal invasion, and has been serving in the armed forces.

“He was taken prisoner by Russian forces and in accordance with international law and the Geneva Convention, he should be being held appropriately and returned to Ukraine at the earliest possible opportunity, possibly through a prisoner exchange.

“Instead of that, Putin’s regime have chosen to put him and another British national, Shaun Pinner, on trial on trumped up charges, no evidence whatsoever. This is, I’m afraid, a completely outrageous breach of international law and it should be condemned.”

He added: “What I hope happens is that a prisoner exchange occurs in the near future. The Russian authorities have chosen to make an example out of these two British nationals and it is, I think, completely shameful.”