Donetsk, Mar 29 - DAN. Some 26,000 volunteers from foreign countries are ready to fight for Donbass, Donetsk People’s Republic Head Denis Pushilin said at a press conference in Donetsk on Tuesday.

“As for volunteers, they number some 26,000, but they are not involved yet,” Pushilin said. “I don’t rule out this option in the future.”  “They are not just from the Middle East; there are masses from other countries including the United States which has rational people.”

In mid-March, the DPR leader said that there were some 20,000 volunteers ready to join the special military operation to defend Donbass.

After tensions increased dramatically on the contact line on February 17, the Donbass Republics leaders asked the Russian president for assistance. On February 24, President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation aimed at demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine. On the same day, the DPR and LPR forces launched a liberation movement supported by Russian armed forces.  As of today, the DPR has taken under control nearly 135 settlements while the Lugansk People’s Republic has liberated some 90 percent of its territory. *jk