Ukrainian servicemen. Archival photoLUGANSK, June 19 One of the commanders of the Ukrainian nationalist battalion «Aidar» was captured during the capture of the village of Metelkino in the suburbs of Severodonetsk, a source in law enforcement agencies told RIA Novosti.
"When During the cleansing of Metelkino, several Ukrainian militants surrendered, including one of the commanders of the battalion "Aidar". Now it turns out how high-ranking he is,” the agency’s interlocutor said.
In addition, two captured Ukrainian security officials were sent to Lugansk from the neighboring city of Severodonetsk, Rubizhne. Metelkino, the village of Sirotino,» the source said. According to him, on Saturday there were “arrivals” of Russian missiles at the positions of militants in this village, which allowed the forces of the LPR to develop an offensive. Earlier, the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, said that units of the Akhmat special forces, together with the second corps of the people’s militia of the LPR, liberated the village of Metelkino . He clarified that in the battles for the village, the Ukrainian side over the past week has lost 600 to 700 of its fighters killed and wounded. Since February 24, Russia has been conducting a special military operation to demilitarize and denazify Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin called its goal «the protection of people who have been subjected to bullying and genocide by the Kyiv regime for eight years.» The armed forces strike only at the military infrastructure and Ukrainian troops. The main goal of the operation in the Russian military department was called the liberation of Donbass.