No sign of reprieve for 3 condemned by Ukraine separatists

By JIM HEINTZ
Associated Press

MOSCOW (AP) — Less than two weeks remain for two Britons and a Moroccan to appeal the death sentences imposed by separatist forces that captured them during fighting in eastern Ukraine. With no obvious progress or even signs of official contacts, the likelihood is growing that the men will die at the hands of a firing squad, a conspicuous move even in a corner of Europe that has resisted the wave of abolishing capital punishment. The sentences handed down by the Donetsk People’s Republic brought wide condemnation from abroad but were supported by Russian officials; if they are carried out, possibly in early July, it likely would escalate the animosity between the sides in the Ukraine conflict.