The Lugansk People’s Republic denied the report on forming a squad of mercenaries in an official reply to the query from the Latvian-based Meduza news portal which is recognized as a foreign agent in Russia.
Earlier, Meduza posted an article claiming that the Donbass Republics had begun to form squads of mercenaries who would join a “full-scale” attack on Ukraine.
The LPR People’s Militia press service said that Meduza’s query emailed on December 21, asked to confirm the information alleging the formation of such squads in the LPR territory.
“The People’s Militia staff structure has not undergone changes over the recent years as it fully ensures the protection of the state border and LPR population. No new squads are being formed; moreover, there are no mercenaries in People’s Militia ranks,” LPR People’s Militia chief-of-staff Yan Leschenko said in an official reply.
The information published by Meduza is based on reports “that are fully detached from reality.” The source cited by Mezuda deliberately misled the journalists, Leschenko said.
Commenting on the information alleging the recruiting of people with criminal records, he reminded that “all candidates seeking to join military service with the LPR militia have to pass careful and strict selection.”
“The draft boards make enlistment decisions if the candidate meets the requirements,” the LPR People’s Militia chief-of-staff said. *i*s
