CAPTURED BritAiden Aslin who was handed a death sentence for fighting in Ukraine will be executed, his family has claimed.
Hero fighter Aiden was sentenced to death alongside Shaun Pinner in a sham trial in the occupied region of Donetsk earlier this month.
The two British volunteers were convicted of being illegal mercenaries after pleading guilty to "training in order to carry out terrorist activities".
And now Aiden has told his family in a phone call that the Russians told him his "time is running out".
Aiden's grandmother Pamela Hall told the BBC: "There are no words, just no words, it's got to be everyone's worst nightmare to have a member of your family threatened in this way.
"Aiden was extremely upset when he called his mother this morning.
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"The bottom line is Aiden has said the DPR has told him nobody from the UK has made contact, and that he will be executed.
"I have to believe what Aiden has said to us, that if the DPR don't get some response then they will execute him. Obviously, I hope that isn't true."
The two volunteers, along with a Moroccan fighter Saadoun Brahim, were sentenced to death by firing squad by the barbaric court in the unrecognised republic.
Following the announcement of their sentence, Downing Street said the UK government is "deeply concerned".
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Additionally foreign Secretary Liz Truss tweeted: "I utterly condemn the sentencing of Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner held by Russian proxies in eastern Ukraine.
"They are prisoners of war. This is a sham judgment with absolutely no legitimacy.
"My thoughts are with the families. We continue to do everything we can to support them."
Aslin, 28, from Nottinghamshire and Pinner, 48, from Bedfordshire are being held in the breakaway region in the east of Ukraine.
Both men – who have lived in the country since 2018 – say they were serving with regular military units in Mariupol and so should be protected as prisoners of war under the Geneva Convention.
Aiden's grandmother added: "I have cried buckets over this, but crying doesn't help, I want to do so something but I don't know what to do.
"After Aiden's call this morning what am I supposed to think? I don't want to lose heart but it's very hard."
"I can't help but think that contact should be made between the UK and Russia."
It comes after Boris Johnson ordered ministers to do "everything in their power" to ensure the release of the two Britons.
Ukraine has previously said it is ready to swap Russian prisoners of war to secure the release of the two Brits.
But according to the BBC,UK diplomats are wary of directly challenging Russia over the issue, fearing they would hand Putin a huge propaganda victory.
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They also cannot negotiate with authorities in Donetsk because Britain does not recognise it as a legitimate state.
Instead, they are focused on helping Ukraine secure the safety of its legally recognised POWs.
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