The court in Donetsk sentenced four Russian soldiers for the killing of Russell Bentley, an American pro-Kremlin volunteer, mistaken for a spy.

Four Russian soldiers have been convicted by a Moscow-controlled court in Donetsk for the killing of Russell Bentley, an American pro-Kremlin volunteer known as 'Texas'. He was beaten to death after the soldiers mistook him for a spy, the incident occurring in April 2014. The court found that the soldiers did not know Bentley and arrested him while he was filming the damage from a Ukrainian airstrike.

The sentences varied, with two soldiers receiving 12 years in prison each, the third 11 years, while the fourth was sentenced to 18 months for concealing the crimes. Bentley's killing sparked outrage in Donetsk, where he was a well-known figure. Although the Russian government presents its soldiers as heroes, it is rare for military personnel to be held accountable for their actions in Ukraine.