Germany convicts militant who fought in Donbas
The German court found Alex D. (a citizen of Kyrgyzstan) guilty of participation in the conflict in Eastern Ukraine, reports Deutsche Welle.
Alex D. fought on the side of the pro-Russian separatists in Donbas for about two years. The mercenary was detained in 2016 when he returned to Germany, and now he was found guilty of preparing a "serious crime that threatens state security."
Photos that were attached to the criminal case show Alex D. posing on the tank, then holding a Kalashnikov machine gun next to other mercenaries. The exact actions of 43-year-old Alex D. during his stay in the conflict zone for almost two years are unknown.
German laws prohibit mercenaries from participating in military conflicts abroad, but the man was sentenced only for two years of probation.
Dortmund Prosecutor's office stated that Alex D. was directly involved in the fighting. However, the German investigators could not find enough evidence to prove this accusation in court. That saved him from a prison sentence.