2 Russian army deserters arrested while heading for Kyiv
Both were detained when trying to cross into Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, and one "was found to be wearing a Russian military identification tag around his neck," SBU said.
Two Russian soldiers, who had been fighting with Russia's 291st Motorized Rifle Regiment in Donetsk Oblast, have been apprehended while attempting to reach Kyiv disguised as civilians, according to Ukraine's State Security Service (SBU). The men left their positions and reached a village near the front line, where they donned civilian clothing and disposed of their military gear.
They then set off on foot towards the district center, hoping to cross into Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and travel to Kyiv. Upon attempting to cross the border, both men were detained, with one still wearing a Russian military identification tag. Authorities believe the soldiers aimed to establish themselves in Kyiv, which is home to one of the deserters' relatives, and evade detection.
One of the men is a Russian national who has been fighting for Moscow since 2016 and has a history of murder offenses. He faces charges of high treason and collaborationist activity under Ukraine's Criminal Code. The other soldier is a Russian citizen who enlisted with Russia in exchange for leniency after serving time for murder. The latter is currently being held as a prisoner of war.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
