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39 ‘LPR’ soldiers desert front line, searched in Russia proper

Russia’s law enforcement in the Rostov region is searching for a group of 39 soldiers who fled the ‘LPR’ after killing their commander, Baza and 161.ru report, citing their sources in security agencies.

Novaya-Europe’s source in Donetsk says they are aware of the incident, but does not know any more details. A source in the security agencies of the self-proclaimed ‘republics’ also confirms the incident.

“The Rostov region law enforcement has received a BOLO on deserters who fled the Storm Z unit in Lysychansk. The papers indicate that the deserters are former prison convicts,” 161.ru says.

Media outlets say a serviceman with the ‘LPR Defence Ministry’ was killed trying to stop the deserters. They also report the incident happened on 24 May. On the same day, a video appeared, showing a man wearing no insignia and shot dead (Novaya-Europe has the video). A voice off screen says a company commander shot a battalion commander dead.

“We fucking wasted the battalion chief. Yegor, our company commander, killed battalion chief Anatolych, shot him in his fucking head. They wanted to use us as cannon fodder, but Yegor solved the problem for us,” the man shooting the video says.

Novaya Gazeta Europe does not share the video with its readers out of ethical reasons and because it cannot verify its authenticity.

The pro-Kremlin Utro Yuga Telegram channel shared a picture of a BOLO bulletin that was allegedly sent to the Rostov region law enforcement earlier.

Photo: Utro Yuga

“A total of 39 individuals are wanted, they may be armed with automatic firearms. Their face features, same as info on vehicles they might be using, are missing,” the bulletin reads.

Another bulletin was published today by ASTRA. The Telegram channel had four sources in law enforcement agencies to verify it was authentic.

Photo: ASTRA

The bulletin says the escaped servicemen might be moving around using a KamAZ truck and a Mitsubishi L200.

Both bulletins say that law enforcement was instructed to search vehicles at outposts and on the road, and check up passengers using databases.