Russian media: former prisoners flee from their forces

Russian soldiers – formerly prisoners – have fled their military units in recent days.

news agency reports palmThe newspaper online 161.ru Novaya Gazeta and other Russian media.

• Seven soldiers, all former prisoners, escaped from a military unit in the Donetsk region, TASS reports.
• 39 soldiers, including former prisoners, escaped from another military unit located in the Luhansk region, according to reports No. 161. R.
• The media reported that some of these were arrested, while others are still at large.

The TASS news agency reported that the seven had fled the Soledar district. Three of them were arrested in a cafe, where they were sitting drunk. One of the deserters was shot by the deserters themselves, because he wanted to surrender.

– We are now hunting down fugitives from the Rostov province, a source within the security services tells TASS. Rostov is located in Russia.

Later on Saturday, two more were arrested, while one is still at large, TASS reported.

According to 161.ru, 39 soldiers who fled in the Luhansk region killed an officer who tried to stop them. They escaped from a unit called “Storm Z” which was located in Lisichansk in Luhansk region.

– They are former prisoners who were here under a contract, a source tells 161.ru.

According to the newspaper, the border between Ukraine and the Rostov region in Russia is heavily guarded for the possibility of escaping soldiers being caught when they want to cross the border.

But the pro-Kremlin newspaper The Cesar Not satisfied with the validity of the information:

– The information has not been officially confirmed by any of the security agencies. Perhaps this was created by the Ukrainian special services to spread panic in the Rostov region, Tsargrad writes.

On the other hand, it brings the pro-Kremlin Telegram Also insincere A facsimile copy of a supposed letter sent to the regional police and security forces of the Rostov region. The text here states that “a total of 39 wanted persons may be armed with automatic weapons.”