Kyiv accuses captured Russian soldiers of terrorism
An adviser to Ukraine’s Security Service Head Markiyan Lubkivsky and Colonel of Medical Service Ihor Savka (UNIAN Photo)
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Russian Consulate sends a note requesting to meet the detainees
Ukrainian investigators have accused the two Russian soldiers, recently captured near the town Shchastya in the Luhansk region, of setting up a terrorist unit, said an adviser to Ukraine’s Security Service Head Markiyan Lubkivsky.
Kyiv authorities believe that the detainees are Russian soldiers – Aleksandr Aleksandrov and Yevgeniy Erofeeev – who took part in fighting against Ukrainian soldiers on behalf of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic (LNR).
Lubkivsky also said that the captured soldiers were given an opportunity to get in touch with their relatives by the phone. According to Lubkivskiy, Yerofeev took this chance, but “Aleksandrov’s relatives did not pick up the phone”.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said they had received a note from Russian authorities requesting to allow their consul to meet the detainees.
“The detention of Russian citizens Erofeeev and Aleksandrov testifies to the deployment of Russia’s armed forces together with terrorist groups against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine”, said Oleksiy Makeev, Director of the Department of Policy and Communications at Ukraine’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Aleksandr Aleksandrov and Yevgeniy Erofeeev were wounded near Schastya in east Ukraine on May 16 and were later picked up by Ukrainian fighters from the volunteer Aidar Battalion. Their weapons were confiscated, which the Ukrainian military later said were made especially for Russian special operations forces.
Despite the servicemen confirming their roles in the Russian military, the Kremlin said both were no longer active soldiers.
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