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Ukraine’s 36th naval infantry brigade totally defeated, DPR leader says

This will facilitate forces’ operations in certain districts of Mariupol, Denis Pushilin said

MOSCOW, March 23. /TASS/. The Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) leader Denis Pushilin said the 36th naval infantry brigade of the Ukrainian armed forces had been totally defeated.

"Today, there are grounds to announce that the 36th naval infantry brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has suffered a resounding defeat, and this will facilitate our forces’ operations in certain districts of Mariupol," Pushilin told the Channel One on Tuesday.

DPR People’s Militia official spokesman Eduard Basurin said earlier on Tuesday that six servicemen of the 36th naval infantry brigade had "laid down weapons, thus saving their lives."

According to the official, DPR forces seized four tanks, two armored vehicles and two Harris tactical communications systems.

People’s Militia officers are examining documents and data storage devices left behind by the Ukrainian troops, he added.

Following a dramatic deterioration of the situation in Donbass on February 17, Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 21 announced a decision to recognize the sovereignty of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR). The treaties on friendship, cooperation and mutual aid were signed with their leaders. On February 22, the State Duma and the Federation Council ratified both documents and Putin signed the respective laws on the same day. On February 24, Putin said that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics he had made a decision to carry out a special military operation in order to protect people "who have been suffering from abuse and genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years." The Russian leader stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories.

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