Russian foreign minister says Russian courts have sentenced more than 200 Ukrainian soldiers to prison

Russian courts have sentenced more than 200 Ukrainian soldiers to lengthy prison terms, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told RIA Novosti.

Lavrov also noted that, according to the Russian Investigative Committee, more than 4,000 criminal cases have been opened against about 900 Ukrainians.

“Among them are not only members of radical nationalist groups, representatives of Ukrainian security forces and mercenaries, but also representatives of the Ukrainian military and political leadership,” Lavrov said. According to him, Ukrainians who have been charged in absentia have been placed on the internationally wanted list.

Russian authorities have charged many Ukrainian military personnel in absentia. For instance, Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov has been charged with 104 acts of terrorism in connection with drone attacks on Russian territory. Budanov has also been “arrested” in absentia for the Crimean Bridge explosion.