The United Nations human rights office has voiced alarm over the death sentences handed to three foreign fighters in eastern Ukraine’s Russia-backed self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR).

The United Kingdom and Germany condemn the verdicts, with Berlin saying they highlight Moscow’s “complete disregard for the basic principles of humanitarian international law”.

Ukraine’s defence ministry says Moscow is seeking to “completely destroy Ukrainian statehood” as Russian forces press ahead with their offensive in the country’s eastern Donbas region.