MOSCOW, July 28 (RIA Novosti) - Ukraine's Defense Minister Valeriy Heletei confirmed that 40 soldiers of the national army crossed the border with Russia after an internal investigation, Ukrainian media reported Sunday.
«It is true, the fact did take place," Heletei said, as shown by Inter television channel.
On Saturday, a representative of the Russian Border Guard Service in the Rostov Region Vasily Malaev told RIA Novosti that more than 40 Ukrainian soldiers had left their military units and asked for permission from the independence supporters to enter the territory of Russia, so as "not to fight against their own people." Heletei had ordered an internal investigation into the case.
Kiev has been conducting a special military operation in the southeast of Ukraine since mid-April. The fighting intensified after Donetsk and Luhansk regions proclaimed themselves independent people’s republics in May. Hundreds of people, including civilians have died in both regions over the past months.
Russia has repeatedly urged the Kiev authorities to stop the bloodshed in the region.
