Kiev pulls Aydar punitive battalion to front line with Donetsk again

Ukraine’s Aydar punitive battalion is returning to the zone of military operation in Donbass, Valentin Likholit, Aydar Battalion Chief of Staff posted on Facebook.

“Finally, after combat shakedown, all the fighters of Aydar Battalion have returned to the front line with new strength and skills to protect their country,” he said. Likholit expressed concern that the battalion was not returned to Lugansk. “Now we will be holding the second line of defense in Donetsk,” he wrote.

In his words, the headquarters operate, the strong points are prepared and the soldiers have been deployed. “Finally, Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense have supplied winter outfit and boots to the soldiers,” Likholit said. “I’d like to say that despite talks about disbandment of Aydar Battalion, no one can destroy it, because together we are strong and we will be fighting till the end,” Likholit wrote.

EADaily reported earlier that Aydar Battalion faced disbandment because of several accusations of the volunteers in crimes. People’s Deputy of Ukraine, the former commander of Aydar Battalion, is suspected in abducting Mikhail Labutin, Director General of “Ukrspirt.” On March 18, the Military Prosecutor’s Office and Ukraine’s Security Council detained five fighters of the Battalion who deserted with weapons and ammunition.

The military actions in the east of Ukraine began in mid-April 2014. Since the beginning of the conflict, at least 8,050 people have been killed, Ivan Šimonović, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, said on September 29. Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff Igor Voronchenko said 1,915 soldiers of Ukraine’s Armed Forces have been killed since the beginning of the military operation.