The social sphere reports that another exchange of prisoners and bodies of dead soldiers took place in the Zaporozhye region. Ukraine claims that Russia handed over 35,200 Ukrainians. They do not say how many Russian bodies were handed over, but most likely 35. After ousting Lyudmila Denisova, Commissioner for Human Rights, the chief intelligence directorate of the Ministry of Defence began to address the issues of prisoner and dead body exchanges.
At the front, however, the surrenders continue on Ukrainian territory, where the fighting is Ukrainian against Ukrainian, on 21 June, 20 civilians left the area of the Azot chemical plant on their own, LPR Ambassador to the Russian Federation Rodin Miroshnik reported. According to Miroshnik, civilians who are being held on the territory of the Azot chemical plant by Ukrainian militants are beginning to leave their shelters as Russian troops advance through the territory of the Azot plant. “About two dozen civilians have independently gone to the second gate of the plant, which is not controlled by the militants. Now they are already safe,” Miroshnik wrote on his Telegram channel.
The diplomat added that the exit of the civilians is complicated due to continuous shelling by the Ukrainian military. According to the Russian military’s calculations there could be up to 1,000 civilians in the facility.
The day of 21 June was marked by the news of the first dead foreign mercenaries, data confirmed by the countries of origin: Austria, Spain and the United States.
The Washington Post wrote that there was a second American mercenary killed in Ukraine. According to the article it is Steven Zabelsky, 52, who died in Ukraine on 15 May. The obituary of Zabelski’s death was published on 1 June in the Recorder, a newspaper published in Montgomery County, New York State. Zabelski’s death was also confirmed to the Washington Post by a representative of the US State Department.
The article notes that, according to Rolling Stone magazine, Zabelski was a US army veteran killed by a landmine in south-eastern Ukraine. However, the Washington Post was unable to uncover any other news on the subject. The news of Zabelski’s death came after news of the capture of mercenaries Robert Dryuke and Andy Hune near Kharkov who now face the death penalty.
Russian sources Readovka, claim that an American mercenary told how the armed forces of Ukraine fought for two hours with their own special forces. According to Tristan Nettles, a navy veteran who was with Zabelski on the night of his death, the deceased belonged to a western volunteer unit attached to the Ukrainian army called the Wolverines.
Wolverines was an English-speaking group: one Pole, one Canadian, two British and eight Americans, all with military experience. They were sent on a mission to clear enemy mines in order to create a safe path for their unit to attack with the use of drones.
The same fate befell a 22-year-old Spanish mercenary killed in Ukraine. This was reported by the Europa Press news agency, citing sources in the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “During the hostilities, a 22-year-old young man, originally from Manacor (Majorca), died,” the agency informs.
It is noted that the Spaniard went to Ukraine to participate in an armed clash against Russia, but ‘it is not known whether he died in battle’. The Embassy of Spain is dealing with this issue and is in constant contact with the family of the deceased. In the next few days, according to the agency, his body should be sent home.
To stay on the subject of prisoners, according to members of the Russian Guard, posted to serve in the Lugansk People’s Republic, a dozen alleged defectors from various parts of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were arrested.
According to preliminary information, officers of the special police force found suspicious citizens without documents in the course of normal public order protection measures: all were arrested and taken to the local commander’s office.
Closing the circle of this dramatic war of all against all, where Ukrainians fight against Ukrainians and foreigners become mercenaries in order to follow an idea of revolution, which is also of little substance, the first arrests were made for theft by the Lviv military of military equipment to be resold on the black market or to the highest bidder.
The fact is significant because the Ukrainian military, in the videos they send to Zelensky, asking for permission to surrender, complain about the lack of ammunition and weapons.
Ukrainian entrepreneurs in the Lviv region allegedly set up a distribution channel for humanitarian aid stolen from the military, ‘demanding’ tens of millions of hryvnias for these products.
One account reads: ‘While Zelensky continues to talk about the consolidation of Ukrainian society and how the army is equipped with everything it needs, the Ukrainian military is practically howling with shovels, as confirmed by their video messages. A 42-year-old Ukrainian man and his accomplices imported bulletproof vests from abroad under the pretext of humanitarian aid for the Ukrainian armed forces. In order to illegally deliver military equipment to Ukraine, the men realised this in advance and prepared all the necessary documents in advance. The bulletproof vests were sold on the Internet for 10,000 hryvnias each. The SBU covered the dealers and searched the warehouses. Nearly 3,000 bulletproof vests were found there. The value of the stolen property amounted to approximately 25 million hryvnias”.
Graziella Giangiulio
