Employees of the SBU Office in the Kharkiv oblast have exposed the former "LNR" militant, press center of the department reports.
The investigators of the SBU established that in January 2017, a Kharkiv citizen joined the illegal armed formations. He "served" in one of the terrorist battalions in the territory of temporarily occupied Alchevsk as the IFV driver mechanic. Being in the illegal armed formation, the malefactor took part in the confrontation near the line of demarcation.
In June 2018, the militant decided to leave the ranks of the organized crime group because of pressure from the militants, and returned to the Kharkiv oblast. Employees of the SBU efficiently discovered and detained the former militant.
The malefactor confirmed the participation of Russian military in armed conflict in the east of the country. According to him, Russian troops are deployed in the so-called "second echelon" from the contact line and provide fire support from heavy weapons on the positions of the Ukrainian military. Furthermore, Russian officers serve as "observers" of activity of the armed units of terrorists.
He also reported that the underlying motive for joining a gang for the majority is material benefit. But illegal armed units are manned only by fifty percent, and the leaders are persons with criminal record. Material resources and ammunition are being stolen.
Criminal proceedings were opened on the grounds of the crime provided for in Part 1 of Art. 110 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The pre-trial investigation continues.