A military court in Rostov-on-Don, southern Russia, has convicted 15 Ukrainian soldiers from the Aidar battalion on terrorism charges, sentencing them to prison terms ranging from 15 to 21 years. The trial, which concluded on Friday, has been condemned by Kyiv as a sham and a blatant violation of international law. This marks the second mass trial of Ukrainian prisoners of war since March, when 23 members of the elite Azov brigade were similarly convicted. Both the Azov and Aidar battalions have been designated as terrorist organizations by Russia, which accuses them of war crimes. These volunteer units were formed following Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and played a significant role in combating Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine’s human rights envoy, Dmytro Lubinets, denounced the trial as “shameful,” asserting that Russia is criminalizing those who defended their homeland. Memorial, a prominent Russian human rights group, has labeled the defendants as political prisoners, arguing that the trial contravenes international conventions protecting prisoners of war. The group emphasized that the Geneva Convention prohibits prosecuting POWs solely for their participation in armed conflict. The trial, held behind closed doors for the most part, initially involved 18 members of the Aidar battalion. Two nurses were returned to Ukraine in a prisoner swap, while proceedings against a driver are set to be held separately. The verdict has sparked international concern, with critics accusing Russia of using the judicial system to legitimize its actions against Ukrainian defenders.