KIEV, August 4 (RIA Novosti) – A total of 311 Ukrainian servicemen and border guards are currently staying on Russia’s territory, a spokesman for the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine said Monday.
“Currently, 171 Ukrainian servicemen and 140 border guards, or 311 individuals in total are on Russia’s territory,” spokesman Andriy Lysenko said adding that Ukrainian authorities would do everything possible to bring them back to the country.
Amid fierce battles in Ukraine’s southeastern regions not abating since mid-April many Ukrainian servicemen and border guards made a decision to leave their military posts and cross into Russia in order not to fight against their own people.
Earlier on Monday, a spokesman for the border control told RIA Novosti that 438 Ukrainian personnel, with some of them being employees of Ukraine’s State Border Service requested refugee status in Russia. Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) opened a corridor for the soldiers who were later settled in a camp and provided with food.
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