“We demand that the Russian side stops political persecutions and releases the Ukrainian citizens, which is foreseen by Minsk agreements and the international law”, Maryana Betsa, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry’s Spokeswoman wrote (Radio Liberty).
Earlier today, the Russian prosecutors requested 22 and a half years for Karpyuk and 22 for Klykh. At the same time, journalist Anton Naumlyuk wrote that the sentence is now being discussed by the jury. “The defense is set to drop charges against the Ukrainians under period of limitation, and, like lawyer Marina Dubrovina said, to fight for every year for their defendants”, Naumlyuk wrote, adding that Klykh reacted quite emotionally on the prosecutor’s request. “He yelled he never was in Chechnya”, the journalist stressed.
The Ukrainian citizens were detained in Russia in 2014 and charged with participation in military actions against Russian federal army during the First Chechen War of 1994-1995.
