Mercenaries from the United Kingdom, Gary Bonini and Swedish mercenary Jonathan Quanz, have been sentenced to 14 years in prison in absentia in Russia.

Both fought for the Kyiv regime and were declared wanted by Russian law enforcement agencies, the Russian Investigative Committee said on Monday.

“At the request of the criminal investigator, measure of restraint has been selected for Bonini in absentia.

“He has been put on the international wanted list. The court has sentenced Bonini to 14 years in prison in absentia,’’ the committee said on Telegram.

Mr Bonini arrived in Ukraine in March 2022, where he joined the International Legion and underwent additional military training.

Until August 2022, as part of the International Legion and other units of territorial defence of Ukraine, Mr Bonini took part in combat operations against the Russian armed forces.

He received more than 374,000 rubles (around $4,700).

According to Mr Bonini’s social media, he has experience serving with the British army, where he was a sniper in a reconnaissance platoon, and also worked in Africa and Afghanistan.

His media account also stated that he “supported European intelligence agencies, conducting operations’’ often in small teams or autonomously.
Quanz was also sentenced to 14 years in prison in absentia. 

He has been convicted of committing crimes falling under Part 3 Article 359 of the Russian Criminal Code, the committee said.

In December 2023, Mr Quanz signed a contract and joined the Ukrainian armed forces as a mercenary.

He took part in combat actions against the Russian armed forces in the Donetsk People’s Republic and was placed on the international wanted list. 

(RIA/NAN)