Law enforcement agencies have completed the pre-trial inquiry into the officers of the Main Investigative Department of the General Command of the Russian Armed Forces, Yevgeny Yerofeyev and Alexander Alexandrov, were captured near the village of Schastia while attempting to seize a strategic bridge on May 16.

"On Aug 25, with the participation of lawyers, an investigation in regard to these two servicemen – Yevgeny Yerofeyev and Alexander Alexandrov, who are suspected of committing criminal offences envisaged by five articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – has been completed," the chief military prosecutor of Ukraine Anatoliy Matios said.

As reported, Ukrainian investigators officially notified Alexandrov and Yerofeyev on May 19 that they were suspected of having committed crimes under Article 258-3 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code Article, specifically their involvement in the terrorist activities of the so-called Luhansk People's Republic (LPR). Kyiv's Shevchenkivsky District Court ruled on May 22 that the two would be held in detention pending trial.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said it views both Russian officers as terrorists, but nevertheless they would get all necessary legal and medical help.

On July 28, Advisor to SBU Chief Yuriy Tandit said that the corresponding court hearing would start in September and would be held in Ukraine.

At the end of July, both detainees were transferred from hospital to a pre-trial detention center in Kyiv.