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Military operation in Ukraine

Ukrainian POWs go fighting for Russia

Pavel Bolbot refused to be exchanged with Ukraine

DONETSK, July 4. /TASS/. A Ukrainian POW decided to go fighting for Russia. Pavel Bolbot from the 141st mechanized brigade joined the Mikhail Pushkar unit in Zaporozhye and said he would fight to liberate Donbass and Novorossiya. The unit was created for Ukrainian soldiers who decided to fight for Russia.

"I am on the Russian territory," he told TASS. Bolbot said he was hiding in a settlement in Donbass for a month and waiting for Russian troops to come.

He refused to be exchanged with Ukraine. "I want to stay in Russia and bring my wife here. My mother and relatives live in Russia," he said adding he planned for long to obtain Russian citizenship.

Another POW Alexander Postoyenko from the 91st brigade also joined the Mikhail Pushkar detachment. He said he walked for over 20 days to surrender to Russian troops.

"I walked in Zaporozhye, Dnepropetrovsk, Iskra in the Donetsk region. I crossed the frontline and walked nearly a hundred kilometers until I met Russian guys," he said.

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Military operation in Ukraine

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