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Russian proxies sentence 9 Azovstal defenders to 24 years, life in prison

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Russian proxies sentence 9 Azovstal defenders to 24 years, life in prison
A sculpture symbol dedicated to prisoners of war from Azovstal was installed on Sophia Square on August 25, 2023, in Kyiv, Ukraine. The sculpture will stand on the square until the entire Mariupol garrison returns from captivity to Ukraine. (Photo by Oleksii Samsonov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

Russian occupation authorities in Donetsk jailed nine Ukrainian soldiers captured after defending Mariupol to between 24 years and a life sentence, the city's exiled authorities reported on Dec. 11.

Russia often uses trumped-up charges to jail captured Ukrainian soldiers, activists, journalists, and regular civilians for lengthy terms.

Moscow's proxies in Donetsk now sentenced soldiers of the 36th Marine Brigade who fell into Russian hands after a gruesome siege of Mariupol and its Azovstal steel plant in the spring of 2022, the exiled Mariupol City Council said on Telegram.

Andrii Shestak, Nazarii Moroz, Vladyslav Yavorskyi, Vadym Shulha, Serhii Yampolskyi, Maksym Kolbasin, Dmytro Shalara, Volodymyr Penzin, and Kostiantyn Romaniuk are to serve their sentence in a high-security prison, according to the statement.

The occupation authorities accused the soldiers of shelling the village of Staryi Krym near Mariupol in March 2022.

Ukraine's former Prosecutor General said that nine out of 10 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POW) are subjected to physical and moral torture. While Ukraine has managed to bring back home some of the captives, including Azovstal defenders, through prisoner exchanges, many more remain in Russian captivity.

12 never-before-seen photos from Azovstal defense (Photos)
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Martin Fornusek

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Martin Fornusek is a reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in international and regional politics, history, and disinformation. Based in Lviv, Martin often reports on international politics, with a focus on analyzing developments related to Ukraine and Russia. His career in journalism began in 2021 after graduating from Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, earning a Master's degree in Conflict and Democracy Studies. Martin has been invited to speak on Times Radio, France 24, Czech Television, and Radio Free Europe. He speaks English, Czech, and Ukrainian.

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