British flag on the embassy building in Moscow. Archival photoMOSCOW, June 8The British Embassy in the Russian Federation told RIA Novosti that it knows about the detention of British subjects in the Donbass, is in close contact with their families. «We know about the detention of British subjects and are in close contact with their families,» the embassy said. «British citizens are prisoners of war and are entitled to humane treatment in accordance with the requirements of international law,» the diplomatic mission added. The British, Sean Pinner and Aiden Aslin, surrendered in Mariupol in mid-April. Major General Igor Konashenkov, spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry, said that «the mercenaries who arrived in Ukraine are not combatants, the best thing that awaits them is a long term in prison.» He noted that foreign mercenaries do not have the status of combatants under international humanitarian law. At the end of last week, the Prosecutor General's Office of the Donetsk People's Republic announced the end of the investigation and the transfer of the criminal case against the British mercenary Aiden Aslin to the court, he may face the death penalty. On Tuesday, British Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab said that the government intends to protest in connection with the criminal case against Aslin in the DPR, the mercenary hopes for his return
