Valentyn Rybin, a defense lawyer for Russian military serviceman Alexander Alexandrov, who is standing trial in Ukraine, says the court might not hand down a sentence for his client by 2:00 p.m. Monday, April 18, contrary to what it vowed to do.

"The court announced a preliminary date. I cannot say for sure now that the sentence will certainly be handed down on Monday. Let's wait until Monday," Rybin told journalists on Friday, after the panel of judges of the Holosiyivsky District Court in Kyiv trying Russian citizens Alexandrov and Yerofeyev, retired for deliberations.

"Based on the evidence gathered, neither Yerofeyev nor Alexandrov can be found guilty," Rybin said.

"Yerofeyev and Alexandrov cannot be treated as parties to criminal proceedings in keeping with national law. The matter is about applying the Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War to them," he said.

Meanwhile, Yerofeyev's lawyer, Oksana Sokolovska, believes the court could well hand down its judgment on the Russians as early as Monday, even if it is able only to announce its key findings.

"I think the judges have known the criminal case materials for quite a long time, and they should have already drawn up some basic arguments and counts, if they believe our clients have committed criminal offences," she said.

Asked whether she believes the court might only announce its key findings on Monday, Sokolovska said, "Theoretically, yes. The court has the right to do so."

The lawyer is certain that "there can't be an acquittal," and "this will be a conviction in any case, and the only question is about the length of the sentence."

"Taking into consideration the existence of the Geneva convention ratified by Ukraine, Yerofeyev and Alexandrov must be eligible for all guarantees and principles stipulated by this convention," Sokolovska said.

"There is no proof of Yerofeyev's and Alexandrov's guilt of committing these criminal offences, and therefore, once they are recognized as prisoners of war, they are eligible for an exchange. In fact, this is what will happen in this case. It is my opinion that Ukraine needed this trial as yet another farce," Sokolovska said.

Judge Mykola Didyk, presiding over the trial, had said earlier on Friday, upon the conclusion of the legal debates and the defendants' last pleas, that the Holosiyivsky Court would announce the sentence on Yerofeyev and Alexandrov after 2:00 p.m. on Monday.