Ukraine's Foreign Ministry has expressed its resolute protest over the continuation of persecution of Ukrainian political prisoners in Russia, in particular, over the jury's conviction of Ukrainian citizens Mykola Karpiuk and Stanyslav Klykh, who have been illegally detained by Russia.

"Today's illegal decision was made after a long show trial in the case of Ukrainians and it was based on groundless and falsified materials of prosecutors received after they were very severely tortured and psychologically pressed. The verdict again confirmed the political character of the case against the Ukrainian citizens," the ministry said in a statement published on May 19.

The ministry said that it was in vain to hope for the verdict of acquittal, as it was issued under external pressure by the prosecutors. Any evidence proving that Ukrainians had not been implicated in the crimes was ignored.

"The Foreign Ministry strongly urges the Russian side before the sentence in the case of Ukrainian political prisoners to end this show trial, release and urgently return Mykola Karpiuk and Stanyslav Klykh to Ukraine," the ministry said.

Earlier on May 19, lawyer Mark Feygin said that the jury trial in the city of Grozny (the Russian Federation) found Ukrainian citizens Karpiuk and Klykh guilty of allegedly committing crimes during the Chechen war. The lawyer said that Karpiuk would be sentenced to life imprisonment.

"This is a large problem for him to be transferred to Ukraine under the convention," he added.