Russian court begins criminal trial of captured soldiers from Ukraine’s Aidar Batallion

The Russian Southern District Military Court has begun a trial of 18 Ukrainian war prisoners from Ukraine's Aidar battalion.

The Aidar battalion is recognized in Russia as an alleged "extremist organization" and is banned in the state along with the Azov regiment.

Earlier, a Russia-controlled lawyer of Ukrainian prisoners said the defendants in the case are charged with several articles of the Criminal Code of the so-called "Donetsk People's Republic." They are accused of allegedly "forcibly seizing power and changing the constitutional order of the DPR" and participating in the activities of a terrorist organization.

The "Aidar" assault Battalion was established in May 2014, subordinated to Ukraine's defense ministry.

The battalion took fights in the Luhansk region, performing tasks to protect the territorial integrity of Ukraine. In 2014-2022, the battalion was subordinated to the Eastern Command.

In 2022-2023, the battalion took an active part in the battles for Bakhmut.

Russia conducts the second illegal hearing regarding Ukrainian prisoners of war.

In June, the state held a "trial" of 22 Ukrainian prisoners who defended Mariupol and were captured in May 2022. According to the Associated Press, eight of them were women who worked as cooks in the Azov regiment.

Russia accuses the Ukrainian prisoners of so-called "involvement in a terrorist organization" and "participation in actions to overthrow the government in the "DPR."