Ukrainian border guards
© RIA Novosti/Alexander MazurkevichUkrainian border guards
Eighty-five Ukrainian border guards who had been hiding on Russian territory for almost three days because of fighting at Ukraine's Izvarino border crossing point were turned over to the Kiev authorities at Russia's Chertakov-Melovoye border crossing, the Rostov region branch of the Russian Federal Security Service's (FSB) Border Guard Directorate said in a press release.

"The information available to the FSB branch for the Rostov region indicates that 100 Ukrainian border guards, among them 20 officers, arrived from the Izvarino crossing point at Russia's Donetsk border crossing from 10:30 pm Moscow time on June 20 to 10:00 am on June 21. Of them, 15 border guards who crossed into Russia have refused to return, and the other 85 have been turned over to the Ukrainian side," according to the press release.

Weapons and ammunition apparently abandoned by Ukrainian border guards - 53 AK-74 assault rifles, three pistols, one grenade launcher, 116 grenades, and 7,812 cartridges - have been found in the area surrounding Russia's Donetsk border crossing point, it said.

More than 80 Ukrainian border guards crossed to Russia after the attack on Ukraine's Izvarino checkpoint overnight. Two people were wounded, the head of the Rostov regional border guard department, Vasily Malayev, told Itar-Tass.

"Unidentified armed people on Friday attacked the Ukrainian checkpoint of Izvarino (named Donetsk on the Russian side). More than 80 Ukrainian border guards came from Izvarino to (the Russian station of) Donetsk at about 22:30 Moscow time and asked for shelter from pursuing armed persons. Two among the Ukrainian border guards were wounded. First aid was rendered to them," the Russian official said.

None among Russian border guards and civilians was hurt. The Russian side took additional border guard strengthening measures.

Earlier on Friday, another incident occurred on the Ukrainian-Russian border. Malayev said fighting started near the Ukrainian point of Dolzhansky (Novoshakhtinsk on the Russian side) at 18:40 Moscow time between militiamen who controlled the border and soldiers of Ukrainian armed forces or the National Guards.

The Russian station was also under fire, and a Russian customs officer was wounded at the site. He has undergone an operation, and there is no threat to his life. The border checkpoint stopped working.

Buildings, communication systems and other installations of Novoshakhtinsk were seriously damaged by mortar fire from the Ukrainian side.

Marks were seen on buildings from ammunition of various calibers and systems, Malayev said, TASS reports.


Comment: More and more of the Ukrainian military seem to be awakening to the real nature of the illegal, psychopathic "government" that sends them into battle.