Courts in the new Russian regions have passed 11 verdicts in criminal cases over the killing of civilians by Ukrainian servicemen, the press service of Russia’s Investigative Committee reported.   “Bastrykin has chaired a briefing session focused on investigation into crimes committed by Ukrainian formations against civilians and Russian servicemen in the territory of Russia and Ukraine,” the report said.   Twelve foreign mercenaries who fight for Ukraine have been charged in absentia. “The suspects are eight U.S. nationals and citizens of Great Britain, South Korea, Australia and France,” the SK said.   Bastrykin also received reports on the operation of criminal investigation divisions of the SK Central Office which provide practical assistance in the investigation of difficult crimes in the new territories.   The SK chairman ordered to continue the efforts towards establishing a branch of the SK Forensic Center in the regions and gathering further evidence of crimes committed by Kiev forces.   In the course of the session, Bastrykin presented departmental decorations to World War II veterans and SK offices.   ***   The Ukrainian government launched the so-called anti-terrorist operation against Donbass in April 2014.  The peace talks failed to reach tangible results due to Kiev’s position to settle the conflict by force.   Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation on February 24, 2022 to protect Donbass residents from Ukrainian aggression. Prior to that, LPR and DPR Heads Leonid Pasechnik and Denis Pushilin asked the Russian leader to provide military assistance.   The Lugansk People’s Republic, Donetsk People’s Republic and Zaporozhye and Kherson regions acceded to Russia on September 30, 2022 following the unification referenda. *i*ie