Two captured British militants face the death penalty at the hands of pro-Kremlin separatists in Ukraine

TWO Britons arrested in Ukraine have been told they face the death penalty at the hands of pro-Putin separatists.

Shaun Pinner, 48, and Andrew Hill, 35, face a show trial for conducting “combat operations” in the self-proclaimed breakaway Donetsk People’s Republic.

4

4

4

If convicted, the maximum penalty is a firing squad.

28-year-old Briton Aiden Aslin, who is also being held by pro-Russian forces, was not on the accused list.

Earlier this month, Pinner and Aslin were told by prosecutors that they had committed “a series of crimes against DPR civilians”.

All three had fought in Mariupol, where they were arrested by Russian forces.

It is not known why Aslin was not on the accused list.

Attorney General Officer Viktor Gavrilov said in a video: “According to detailed testimonies from UK citizens Shaun Pinner and Andrew Hill, obtained by officials at the DPR Attorney General’s Office…

“Your involvement in the commission of unlawful acts has been established.

“A criminal case against mercenaries involved in the preparation and conduct of hostilities against the DPR has been completed.

“The case documents were presented to a court for trial.

“This allows the death penalty (death penalty) to be imposed on the accused in conditions of war.”

He failed to mention Aslin, who had previously been arrested, and warned that the maximum penalty was death.

In April, Pinner looked exhausted after admitting he understood the charges against him.

But he was not seen admitting his guilt.

Earlier this month, Pinner and Aslin were told by prosecutor Andrei Spivak that they had committed “a series of crimes against civilians of the Donetsk People’s Republic.”

He said, “The maximum penalty for these crimes is the death penalty.”

The British men had been fighting at Mariupol when they were captured by Russian forces.

Aslin and Pinner – who fought with the 36th Marines of Ukraine – have lived in Ukraine for some time and are fully paid members of the Ukrainian military.

Aslin joined the Marines in 2018, while Pinner moved to Mariupol to be with his second wife Larysa four years ago when he joined the Ukrainian army as a “contract soldier”.

Hill, a father of four from Plymouth, was paraded on national television by the Russians last month when he appeared with a bandage on his head and his left arm in a sling.

Looking tired and frightened, he kept his head down as he looked at the ground, occasionally glancing up nervously as he asked if he would ever return to England.

4