By Maria Tsvetkova and Anton Zverev MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian mercenaries have deployed to separatist-controlled eastern Ukraine in recent weeks to b…
Summary
- The fighter said he was planning to join up with fellow mercenaries on the Russian side of the border with the separatist-held Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine.
- One of the sources, a contractor who has taken part in Russian operations abroad and had already arrived in eastern Ukraine, said the deployment was for defensive purposes.
- The Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) proclaimed its independence from Ukraine in 2014 after separatist fighters took control of a slice of eastern Ukraine.
- Alexander Borodai, ex-prime minister of the DPR and head of the Union of Donbass Volunteers, said his organisation was not involved in the recruitment of any mercenaries for eastern Ukraine.
- Separatist spokesperson Eduard Basurin said he knew nothing of any recent Russian deployments of security contractors to eastern Ukraine.