A soldier from Watford who was captured by Russian forces while fighting for Ukraine has been sentenced to death by pro-Moscow rebels.
Shaun Pinner, from Watford and Bedfordshire, was found guilty of taking action towards violent seizure of power at a court in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic.
He was sentenced to death today along with fellow British soldier Aiden Aslin and a Moroccan national, Saaudun Brahim.
The men were accused of being “mercenaries” after fighting with Ukrainian troops.
Russian media outlet RIA Novosti reported Thursday that the three are set to face a firing squad.
Interfax, another Russian news agency, claimed the men would be able to appeal against their convictions.
The court is not internationally recognised, the BBC said.
A No 10 spokesman said: “We are obviously deeply concerned by this. We have said continually that prisoners of war shouldn’t be exploited for political purposes.
“You will know that 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 the Ukrainian authorities to try to secure the release of any British nationals who were serving in the Ukrainian armed forces and who are being held as prisoners of war.”
Mr Pinner and Mr Aslin, from Nottinghamshire, were detained by Russian forces in April after fighting for Ukraine.
Mr Pinner, a former waste manager, is said to have moved to Ukraine with his wife before joining the nation’s armed forces in 2018.
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