The Supreme Court of the Lugansk People’s Republic has sentenced a serviceman from Ukraine's “Aidar” nationalistic battalion to eight years in prison, said the regional department of the Federal Security Service which had investigated the case.   "The machine gunner served in 24th Separate Assault Battalion “Aidar,” the FSB said. "He has been found guilty of participation in a terrorist organization and sentenced to eight years in a general regime penitentiary."   The Ukrainian government launched the so-called anti-terrorist operation against Donbass in April 2014.  The peace talks that began soon thereafter 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 to protect Donbass residents from Ukrainian aggression on February 24, 2022. 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 acceded to Russia on September 30, 2022 following the unification referendum.*i*v