The decision of the Italian court, which sentenced soldier of the National Guard of Ukraine Vitaliy Markiv to 24 years in prison, will be contested, Interior Minister of Ukraine Arsen Avakov has said.

"Twenty-four years for Vitaliy Markiv is an unfair and shameful decision of the Italian court. It will be appealed," the minister said on Twitter.

Avakov said that Markiv and the state of Ukraine are not guilty of the death of journalist Rocchelli, who "was the victim of aggressive Russia that unleashed a war in Sloviansk in Donbas."

"We will fight on!" the minister stressed.