Aiden Aslin, 28, and Shaun Pinner, 48, have been charged as mercenaries. They were arrested in Mariupol in April during a fierce battle for control of the port city before appearing in court in the separatist Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR). There, according to the Russian news agency Interfax, he was found guilty of “mercenary activities and committing acts aimed at seizing power and overthrowing the constitutional order of the GDR.” A statement from Ashlin’s family said the couple were not mercenaries and needed time to “get everything”. He continued: “We love Aiden with all our hearts. He and Shaun, as members of the Ukrainian armed forces, should be treated with the same respect as any other prisoner of war. “They are not and have never been mercenaries.” They said they hoped the sentence would be overturned and called on the British and Ukrainian governments to “do everything in their power to get us back safely and quickly.” He added: “We can only imagine what they are going through at the moment. This is a very worrying development.” Mr Aslin’s brother also reacted shockingly to the news, saying his family needed time to understand the situation. He said: “As soon as we were informed, at the moment my mom is in discussions with the Foreign Office.” Picture: Aidan’s family says they love him “with all our hearts” In January, Sky News chief correspondent Stuart Ramsey met Mr Piner and Mr Ashlin in front-line trenches outside Mariupol. Mr Piner explained that he had married a Ukrainian woman and said: “I have every right to be here … it took me a long time to integrate here, so the kids know I’m not a war tourist or a war addict. “I’m in an organized unit, I’m with the government and I’m a contract soldier, so I tried to get away from this volunteer unit and the militia.” Picture: The couple in Mariupol Read more: The British are fighting in the trenches of Ukraine The Russian military has argued that those it considers to be foreign mercenaries fighting for Ukraine are not fighters. A long prison sentence is the best they should hope for if arrested, Moscow said. Follow the Daily Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker They are likely to face an execution sentence if the sentence is carried out. They will be attractive. Another British fighter captured by pro-Russian forces, 35-year-old Andrew Hill, is awaiting trial.
