A man, according to Ukraine's state security service (SBU) is named Yevgeny Yerofeyev and is one of two Russian servicemen recently detained by Ukrainian forces, is examined by medics at a hospital in Kiev, Ukraine, May 28, 2015. Picture taken May 28, 2015. Reuters/Valentyn Ogirenko
Reuters: Special Report: Russian fighters, caught in Ukraine, cast adrift by Moscow
From his hospital bed in the Ukrainian capital, Russian fighter Alexander Alexandrov feels abandoned by his country, its leaders and even the local Russian consul.
Alexandrov, 28, says he's a Russian soldier who was captured in east Ukraine after being sent there on active duty with Russian special forces to help separatists fighting Kiev. He said he was serving on a three-year contract. "I never tore it up, I wrote no resignation request," he said. "I was carrying out my orders."
Yet Russian President Vladimir Putin, in the face of widespread evidence to the contrary, has repeatedly said there are no Russian soldiers in Ukraine – only volunteers who have gone to help the separatists of their own accord.
WNU Editor: Russia has a long history of having its operatives/spies/soldiers captured or killed in other countries .... but they have always gone to great lengths to get them back. When a Russian reconnaissance platoon was caught near Mariupol during the height of last years fighting in Ukraine .... I was not surprised to hear Moscow quickly claim these solders as their own, and they quickly got them back after a prisoner exchange. Flash forward to today .... everyone in both Russia and Ukraine know that Russian spies and some special forces are in Russia .... and the remarks from these captured soldiers that there are 200 Russian special forces in Ukraine confirms the information that I have been getting (and no, there are no 10,000 Russian soldiers in Ukraine). But this is why this case is unique .... I do believe that these men are Russian special forces .... but a decision has been made to set them adrift .... the question that needs to be answered is why. My best answer .... a rogue operation .... but I am the first to admit that I am speculating here .... and I am probably wrong.