Two Russian soldiers that were captured last May were sentenced to fourteen years in prison by a Ukrainian court. Due to possible involvement in the pro-Russian separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine, the two are now under the jurisdiction and control of the Ukrainian government for one plot that could have caused a severe mark in the existing system.
According to Reuters, Russia denied sending troops to aid the rebels, in which Alexander Alexandrov and his commander Captain Yevgeny Yerofeyev have admitted to have quit their duties under the Special Forces to initiate taking part in the combat under their own decisions. Ahead of the court session Yerofeyev's lawyer stated that the verdict was a foregone conclusion due to Ukraine's wish to trade the servicemen for Ukrainians detained in Russia, together with pilot Nadezhda Savchenko.
As per Euro News, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko stated he had talked with his Russian fellow governing counterpart Vladimir Putin regarding the Russian soldiers and Savchenko, and was quoted, "Ukraine calls on Russia to free Nadezhda Savchenko immediately." The aforementioned soldiers were said to have been caught between the confrontations of Moscow and the West since the Cold War, were found guilty of attempting acts of terrorisms, along with illegally crossing into an occupied Ukrainian territory, along with other charges.
According to Daily Mail, the lawyers are still undecided whether they are to appeal to the verdict or not. The conviction for them follows the sentencing of Savchenko to 22 years in Russian prison in March; one which the United States delivered as a "blatant disregard for the principles of justice". Savchenko was also found guilty for the murder of two Russian journalists during the separatist conflict.
Overall, both Putin and Poroshenko confirmed that Ukraine's Consul General in Rostov-on-Don would be granted access to Savchenko soon, as per the Kremlin. Further news are to be released on the said matter.
