Donetsk, Jul 17 – DAN. A Ukrainian troop has defected to the DPR, Republic's People's Militia said.
"Thanks to the joint efforts of the DPR People's Militia and other security forces, the safe passage of a troop of the operation task force Vostok (East) was provided. The Ukrainian service member is safe and secure," the report reads.
The defection is not the first case of its kind. Earlier Anatoly K. left his unit of the Vostok TF.
In 2019, former deputy head of the secret unit under the Donetsk regional military enlistment office Yury Aushev and several service members from 56th Separate Motorized Infantry and 79th Mountain Assault Brigades sided with the Republic. In 2018, a mercenary from Georgia and a Ukrainian army service members turned themselves in to the DPR three months apart from each other. Lt Col Roman Labusov of the Security Service of Ukraine defected to the DPR in 2017. *ot*pp