MOSCOW: Russia sentenced three young brothers to 17 years in prison on Wednesday for trying to cross into Ukraine to join a unit of Russians fighting on Kyiv´s side.
Moscow has been handing out long prison terms to its citizens for helping Ukraine and has banned the pro-Kyiv Freedom of Russia Legion, which has staged several incursions into Russia, as a terrorist group.
Ioann Ashcheulov, 24, was sentenced to 17 and a half years by a Moscow military court while his brothers -- Alexei, 20, and 19-year-old Timofey -- were handed 17 years, Russian state media reported.
The brothers were found guilty of treason, taking part in a terrorist group and of illegally crossing the border. The court said they had tried to reach the Freedom of Russia Legion in July 2023, attempting to cross the border by foot. Unlike most such cases, the trial was not held behind closed doors.