Captured Britons, Moroccan committed crimes in Donetsk, claims Russia
Britons Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner and Moroccan Brahim Saadoun
Amid tensions over the death sentence to two Britons and aMoroccan by a separatist court in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said the duo had committed crimes in the Donetsk People's Republic.
The Donetsk People's Republic is a self-proclaimed independent state which was recognised by Russian President Vladimir Putin just days ahead of the war with Ukraine. The territory is universally recognised as part of Ukraine.
Lavrov maintained that "the crimes in question were committed on the DPR's territory". The two British and a Moroccan were captured by Russian forces as a court in Donetsk People's Republicordered the death penalty for Aiden Aslin, Shaun Pinner and Saadun Brahim.
Watch:Fierce battle underway in east Ukraine
Reports claimed they were accussed of being mercenaries. Ukraine slammed the court's verdict declaring that it was "placing propaganda interests above the law".
Russian news agency reported the British citizens had surrendered inMariupol in April and the Moroccon citizen Brahim had surrendered in Volnovakha in March.
The Britons had earlier pleaded with UK PM Boris Johnson to negotiate their release, however, the pro-Russian separatist court sentenced them to death on Wednesday.
(With inputs from Agencies)
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