Fury over ‘barbaric’ death sentences handed down to Brit fighters by Russia as Britain savages ‘depraved’ Putin

BRITAIN has condemned the death sentences passed down to hero fighters Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner after a show trial by a pro-Russian court in Ukraine.

The two British volunteers, along with a Moroccan fighter Saadoun Brahim, were handed the death penalty by a military court in the separatist region of Donetsk.

Pinner and Aslin pleaded guilty to "training in order to carry out terrorist activities" according to a video on Wednesday released by DPR Supreme Court, reported state media in Russia.

Aslin, 28, from Nottinghamshire and Pinner, 48, from Bedfordshire are being held in the breakaway region in the east of Ukraine.

They were sentenced to death by firing squad by the barbaric court in the unrecognised republic.

Shaun appeared distraught and close to tears as the execution verdict was announced, staring at the ground.

Aiden was more composed.

News of the sickening verdict has provoked fury in the UK, with Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Aslin's family MP Robert Jenrick among those to condemn the barbaric decision.

Shaun, a former Royal Anglian soldier from Bedfordshire, and Aiden, a former care worker from Newark, Nottinghamshire, had lived in Ukraine since 2018 and were professional salaried soldiers in the country’s 36th Marines.

It is reported Aiden's mum Ang Wood found out about the sentence while watching TV news at the family home in Nottinghamshire.

Aiden’s family yesterday met officials at the Ukrainian Embassy in Notting Hill, West London.

They said after: "We love Aiden with all our hearts. He and Shaun, as members of Ukrainian armed forces, should be treated with respect just like any other prisoners of war. They are not, and never were, mercenaries.

"We hope that this sentence will be overturned and beseech the government's of the UK and Ukraine to do everything in their power to have them returned to us safely, and soon.

"We can only imagine what they are going through right now. This is a very upsetting development and we ask that our privacy is respected at this time."

Journalists were not allowed into the trial, which was held in the shortest possible time, and all the news from the court came via Russian state media.

Pro-Kremlin journalists published only brief videos from the trial.

Observers have described the charges as "fabricated" and the trial as a "demonstrative" attempt to imitate the trials of Russian soldiers for war crimes in Kyiv.

All three men have a month to appeal against the death penalty, according to the chairman of the judicial board, Russian state media reported.

Their sentences could possibly be commuted to prison sentence of 25 years to life.

Downing Street says the UK government is "deeply concerned" following the announcement of the death sentences.

Tom Tugendhat MP, chair of the foreign affairs committee, branded the act a "war crime" and a "barbaric violation" of the Geneva Convention.

"Its not a state, its not a court, and the judges are people merely dressing up and pretending," he told BBC Radio 4.

"The reality is this is an absolutely brutal thing to do to three completely innocent people."

He said the men had been taken "hostage" in an act of "revenge" - and said the blame lies with Vladimir Putin.

Robert Jenrick, MP for Newark, released a statement over the sentencing of his constituent's relative Aiden Aslin.

"This disgusting Soviet-era show trial is the latest reminder of the depravity of Putin's regime," he said.

"Contrary to the Kremlin's propaganda, Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner are not mercenaries.

"They have been living in Ukraine and serving in its armed forces long before Russia's illegal invasion, and as prisoners of war they are entitled to protection under the Geneva Convention."

He also called for the Russian ambassador to be "summoned to the Foreign Office", adding: "No one should think they can treat British citizens like this and get away with it."

No one should think they can treat British citizens like this and get away with it

Robert Jenrick MPMP for Newark

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has also responded to the sentencing, tweeting: "I utterly condemn the sentencing of Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner held by Russian proxies in eastern Ukraine.

"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."

Austrian foreign affairs spokeswoman Ewa Ernst-Dziedzic said: "The illegitimate verdict is a blatant breach of international law and a provocation by the Russian war party."

Russia is expected to demand that Britain appeal directly to rebel authorities in Donetsk - which the UK does not recognise.

Both men - who have lived in the country since 2018 - said they were serving with regular military units in Mariupol and so should be protected as prisoners of war under the Geneva Convention.

They were seen in a metal cage in court on a video from the messaging app Telegram alongside Saaudun Brahim.

A third Brit, Andrew Hill, also faces charges after being captured in the Mykolaiv area, although his affiliation is unclear.

Denis Pushilin, president of the Donetsk People's Republic, had accused the men of "monstrous" crimes, including trying to seize power and crimes against groups of people.

Their sham trial claimed that the men were paid mercenaries who took part in "armed aggression" in Ukraine in order to "forcibly seize power in the DPR for a reward".

Earlier on Thursday, a sickening clip taken from Russian state TV sees the hosts gleefully discussing how the men should be executed.

TV anchor Vladimir Solovyov, known as "Putin's voice", hosted the discussion, in which the guests decided whether they should be shot dead, hanged, or quartered.

In the sinister TV debate, Dr Andrei Sidorov, dean of the Faculty of World Politics at Moscow State University, said the Donetsk prosecutor's office had indicated the three "mercenaries" are "worthy of the death penalty".

He added: "If the court approves the death penalty if the Anglo-Saxons are put to the wall for the first time, that would have a much more serious impact."

Solovyov asked bluntly: "When will they be killed by the court decision?"

Sidorov told him: "They will be declared war criminals and sentenced to death…"

The Sun Online has approached the Foreign Office for comment in the wake of today's death sentence.

Yesterday, the Foreign Office condemned the exploitation of prisoners of war for political purposes in the wake of the footage and said it was working with the Ukrainian government on the issue of British captives.

Russia has not carried out an execution since 1996 and outlawed the death penalty in 1997.

However, because the fighters are being held in separatist Donetsk, it isn't clear whether their captors will uphold Russian law.

Aslin surrendered to Russian forces in April after running out of food and ammo in the besieged city of Mariupol.

He was paraded on Russian state TV in a humiliating interview, showing injuries to his face.

Aslin moved from Newark in the UK to Ukraine to be with his girlfriend, soon becoming a marine in the country's armed forces and taking up Ukrainian citizenship.

His unit was defending Mariupol as Russian forces were closing in, and they were cut off from the main Ukrainian army.

Aslin was even forced to miss his own wedding due to the fighting.

Pinner worked as an instructor in the ranks of Ukraine's Armed Forces.