Three captured Azov fighters sentenced to 18-29 years in Rostov

A Russian court has sentenced three Ukrainian prisoners of war from the Azov brigade to lengthy prison terms on terrorism charges.

The Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don handed down the verdicts, according to Mediazona, citing the court's press service.

The three men – Ihor Shcherbonos, 44-year-old Serhii Shchepkiv, and 28-year-old Artem Domshenko – were accused of participating in a terrorist organization and undergoing terrorist training, charges commonly brought against Ukrainians who served in units of the Azov brigade.

Domshenko was sentenced to 18 years in prison, Shcherbonos to 18.5 years in a maximum-security penal colony, while Shchepkiv received a 29-year sentence in a maximum-security colony.

Russian military courts have been handling such cases against Ukrainian servicemen in large numbers.

On February 16, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced three captured fighters from the Azov brigade to 20 years in prison each in a terrorism case.

On February 11, the Central District Military Court reviewed nine cases involving Ukrainian prisoners of war within a week and convicted them on terrorism charges.

Photo for illustration purposes: Volodymyr Zelensky / Telegram