The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (MFA) calls on the international community to condemn the sentence of the so-called occupation "court" in Luhansk region, which sentenced Ukrainian human rights activist Maksym Butkevych to 13 years in prison.

"The so-called 'court' of the Russian occupation administration in the temporarily occupied territory in Luhansk region sentenced Ukrainian human rights activist and journalist Maksym Butkevych to 13 years in prison, as well as to other terms of two other citizens of Ukraine," the Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

It clarifies that "the fake trial staged in Russia is aimed at legalizing another political massacre of Ukrainian citizens."

"The announced verdicts are illegal and void," the ministry said.

"We call on the international community to condemn the trial of Maksym Butkevych and the other two citizens, to demand from Russia their release, as well as other Ukrainians illegally imprisoned in the temporarily occupied territories and in Russia, and to take effective measures to counter Russia's aggression against Ukraine," the Foreign Ministry said.