Ukrainian military contingent involved in punitive raid reaches 30,000 servicemen
6 May 2014, 20:45 -- The numerical strength of Ukrainian armed forces' group involved in the punitive raid in the Donetsk region is 30,000 people, coordinator of Donbass defense Vasily Kiselyov told ITAR-TASS on Tuesday. Additionally, according to self-defense forces' representative, armored vehicles and heavy armaments are being deployed at Slavyansk.
'The numerical strength of the group of the governing junta from Kiev is more than 30 thousand troops, including the National Guard,' he said, stressing that the Kiev authorities now 'have started to thrust into combat also conscript soldiers.'
In addition, according to Kiselyov, armored vehicles and heavy armaments are being deployed at Sloviansk. In particular, he said, 'artillery squadrons have already been deployed near Sloviansk.' According to latest reports, two convoys of vehicles — one from Izyum (Kharkov region) and the other from Dobropolye (Donetsk region) are moving towards the city.
Co-chair of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic Denis Pushilin told ITAR-TASS on Tuesday that the airport of the city of Donetsk that was not controlled by the people's militia forces had been closed in the morning. 'All its personnel were ordered at 14:00 (11:00 GMT) to leave the premises and working places,' he said. He supposed that the airport could be used for the delivery of 'illegal weapons,' including heavy armored vehicles, to the area.
Kiev legalizes Maidan far-right fighters creating National Guard
The so-called council of Kiev Maidan activists has approved an order whereby volunteers will be operating within National Guard battalions, territorial army battalions and other units designed to provide law and order and territorial integrity in Ukraine, according to a document posted on Facebook on Tuesday by the Secretary of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council and former Maidan commandant Andriy Parubiy.
Maidan fighters will join the Interior Ministry's national guard, special public order units, army territorial battalions and other armed groups operating and created by the authorities in order to 'defend Ukraine'.
The core duties of the self-defense forces will be 'to form various government security units within the shortest period of time and fill them with patriots who will mount an armed defense of Ukraine's territorial integrity and independence,' and 'maintain public order in non-combat areas, form the reserve and provide material and technical aid to regular battalions,' according to the document, Interfax reports.
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