Donbas “republics” urge Moscow to openly send mercenaries to Ukraine’s east: Ukrainian MoD

Since the beginning of the Russian aggression in Ukraine, Moscow has been pertinacious in its denial of the open secret of the presence of its troops in Ukraine's east and even the very fact of the Kremlin's involvement in controlling the occupied areas. With denying the deployment of Russian regular troops in eastern Ukraine, Moscow, however, admits that some individual citizens voluntarily join the "local militia forces" and nothing can be done about it.

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If the Ukrainian defense ministry's report holds water, the occupation administrations in Ukraine's east are likely aiming to legalize the Russian mercenaries, since they don't have any official status or enjoy any benefits upon returning to Russia, unlike the regulars. Moreover, mercenary-related acts are formally illegal under the Russian legislature, and participation in an armed conflict as a mercenary is punishable by up to seven years in jail, although the authorities treat engagement in hostilities in Ukraine with benign neglect - Donbas "volunteers" can't be called "mercenaries," according to Putin. What is more, a number of private military companies thrive under the umbrella of the Russian defense ministry, which has been using them in various military operations abroad.

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According to the report by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, the Russian armed forces command continues its campaigning among Donetsk and Luhansk locals for joining its Donbas-based formations.

• Read also: Russian active-duty military fought against Ukraine in ranks of private military company: Media report

On 22 November, according to the Ukrainian Main Directorate of Intelligence, large-scale command and staff exercises kicked off among the so-called 1st and 2nd army corps stationed in the occupied parts of Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts. The drills involve the mobilization reserve, units of so-called “law enforcement agencies,” and occupation administrations. HUR says that a complex commission of the 8th All-Military Army of the Southern Military District of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation controls the exercises. Russia's 8th army is believed to be in charge of the Luhansk and Donetsk "army corps."

Read more:

• Ex-puppet state leader turned MP admits it is Russian Army fighting in Donbas
• Who is who in the Kremlin proxy “Luhansk People’s Republic” (2018)
• Who is who in the Kremlin proxy “Donetsk People’s Republic” (2017)
• War on terms: who’s fighting against Ukraine in Donbas – terrorists, rebels, insurgents?
• Largest-yet report on Ukraine invasion documents Russian army in Donbas (2021)
• The hidden invasion: Russia’s military convoys to Ukraine since 2014
• Wagner operation was indeed postponed on Ukraine president’s behalf, ex-intelligence chief says
• PMC Wagner is a unit of Russian military intelligence, mercs’ IDs show – SBU chief (2019)
• Russian private military companies proliferate ‘to make money on war’ (2018)
• Russian active-duty military fought against Ukraine in ranks of private military company: Media report
• Don Cossacks reinforcing Russian & local troops in the Donbas
• Kremlin rapidly losing control of ‘private military company’ story (2018)
• Identical statues to Russia’s “Wagner” mercenaries erected in Syria, occupied Donbas (2018)
• From Donbas to Syria: investigation reveals Ukrainians fighting in Russian PMC Wagner (2018)
• Russia recruited over 5,000 mercenaries to fight in its wars abroad, SBU says (2017)