The Russian president Vladimir Putin agrees to sent volunteer fighters to attack Ukraine including from abroad, to fight in Ukraine, where he has sent thousands of Russian troops in what he calls a “special military operation”. Speaking at a meeting of the Russian Security Council in Moscow, Putin explained his decision by the presence of the Western mercenaries in the war zone in Ukraine.
“If you see that there are people who want on a voluntary basis (to help east Ukraine’s separatists), then you need to meet them halfway and help them move to combat zones,” Putin told Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu during a televised security council meeting.
According to Shoigu, more than 16,000 volunteers – mostly from the Middle East – have appealed to join the military action, many of them from people who he said fought alongside Russia against the Islamic State group, according to a Kremlin transcript.
“As for the supply of arms, especially Western-made, which ended up in the hands of the Russian army, of course I support the possibility of transferring them to the military units of DNR and LNR,” Putin said referring to the breakaway Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics in Ukraine’s east.
Putin also ordered that Shoigu prepare a separate report on strengthening Russia’s western borders “in connection to the actions that NATO countries are taking in this direction”.
The Russian Defence Ministry said the special operation is targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure only and the civilian population is not in danger.
According to UN figures, 549 civilians have been killed and 957 injured in Ukraine since the start of the war, with the real toll feared to be higher. More than 2.3 million people have fled Ukraine to neighbouring countries, recent data by the UN refugee agency showed.
Published By: VATSAL KOTHA
Edited By : KRITIKA KASHYAP
