Ukrainian soldier defects to DPR because of poor treatment

Donetsk, Aug 11 – DAN. A Ukrainian service member has defected to the DPR, said DPR People's Militia deputy chief-of-staff Eduard Basurin.

"An active member of the Ukrainian armed forces has defected to the DPR. Preliminary questioning revealed that the reason was the low level of the material support, unbearable conditions of the army service, improper relationships and the lack of support on the command's side and law enforcement," he said.

This is by far not the first defector from the Ukrainian army. This year, a Ukrainian service member defects to the DPR to avoid bullying and abuse in his unit.

Last year, another service member safely arrived in the DPR thanks to the joint efforts of the DPR People's Militia and other security forces.

Another Ukrainian military, mortar operator Skidan, decided in favour of the DPR in summer 2020. In 2019, former head of a high security unit of the Donetsk recruitment office Yury Aushev and a number of other service members crossed into the DPR. In 2018, a Georgian mercenary and an active service member voluntarily surrendered to the Republic. In 2017, Ukrainian Security Service Lieutenant Colonel Roman Labusov defected to the DPR. *ot