A first battalion of ex-Ukrainian soldiers joins the Russian armed forces (Sputnik)

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October 30, 2023
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A new military unit, made up of former Ukrainian prisoners of war, will fight kyiv’s armed forces. These soldiers adopted Russian nationality and registered as volunteers in the Moscow troops.

The volunteer battalion named after Bogdan Khmelnitsky, military and political leader of the 17th century Ukrainian Cossacks, formed of former Ukrainian soldiers, joined the Cascade unit of the Donetsk People’s Republic.

After taking the oath, the soldiers will leave for the front, battalion commander Andrei Tishchenko told Sputnik. The oath will be taken at the end of the training period, according to him.

A battalion of prisoners of war

A former tank commander, Mr. Tishchenko spoke about the creation of his battalion at the end of February. At that time, it already included 70 people, 95% of whom were seasoned former Ukrainian military personnel.

This formation of volunteers consists of prisoners of war held in different locations. They conclude contracts with the Russian army on the same conditions as other volunteers.

New Russians

Other soldiers in the battalion told Sputnik that they joined voluntarily, after obtaining Russian citizenship.

“Members [des structures de force] Russians arrived to say: ‘Who wants to stay here?’ They offered to join the battalion, we accepted,” said a former Ukrainian border guard. According to him, the age of volunteers in the battalion varies between 25 and 47 years old.

“We have been together since the beginning of October, we already know each other, we communicate normally,” said another volunteer. And to add that each of them receives a Russian passport by renouncing Ukrainian nationality.

Sputnik