DONETSK, May 26. /TASS/. The number of captive Ukrainian troops on the front has risen recently, said Denis Pushilin, head of the Donetsk People’s Republic.

"[The number of] Ukrainian captives has surged recently," he told the Rossiya-24 TV channel.

According to the regional leader, most of those soldiers were sent to the front through forced mobilization. However, Pushilin noted that some had voluntarily chosen to go to the line of contact based on their beliefs. "They are the most dangerous criminals," the official concluded.