Court in self-proclaimed ‘Donetsk People's Republic’ sentences 33 Ukrainian soldiers to prison

A court in the self-proclaimed “Donetsk People's Republic” (“DNR”) has sentenced 33 Ukrainian military personnel to terms ranging from 27 to 29 years in a “strict regime” prison colony.

According to Russia’s Investigative Committee, the defendants were found guilty under articles related to cruel treatment of civilians, murder, attempted murder, and deliberate damage to property.

The prosecution alleged that from February 24 to March 10, 2022, during the first days of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukrainian military personnel shelled areas of the Donetsk region, hitting residential buildings. “As a result, a 17-year-old civilian was killed, a woman suffered a brain injury, and 42 residential buildings and two civilian vehicles were damaged and destroyed,” prosecutors said.

Russia’s Investigative Committee and Prosecutor General’s Office regularly report that courts in the self-proclaimed “DNR” and “Luhansk People’s Republic” have sentenced captive Ukrainian soldiers to lengthy prison terms.