State Border Guard Service of Ukraine: Russia sent 600 Donbas fighters to Syria
Over 600 soldiers have returned to Russia from the occupied territories of the Donbas and will be deployed to Syria. According to 112 Ukraine news channel, this was stated by the assistant to the Chairman of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, Oleh Slobodian.
“The process for selecting volunteers from occupied territories to participate in the Syrian conflict continues. A few days ago, several organized groups of these so-called volunteers, consisting of more than 600 people, arrived in Rostov from Donetsk through the uncontrolled section of the Russian-Ukrainian border. They traveled in full gear and with weapons,” Slobodian said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted his country’s participation in the war in the Donbas during the ‘Russia Calling!’ forum. He said that the country “had to protect the Russian-speaking population there”. These words became the first official statement from the Russian government admitting to the country’s participation in the ongoing war. Putin had previously said that “ex-miners and tractor drivers” were fighting against the Ukrainian army in the Donbas.