In Vinnytsia region: SSU detains former DNR militant who fought against Ukraine

In Vinnytsia region, the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has detained a former militant of the self-proclaimed "DNR" who planned to flee to the unrecognized Transnistria. He participated in the war against Ukraine and had been evading justice for a long time. This information was reported by the SSU of Ukraine.

The offender was detained not far from the border with the unrecognized Transnistria, where he planned to escape to avoid punishment for his crimes. The investigation revealed that the criminal lived in the town of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk region. In 2014, he joined the pro-Russian terrorist group called the "Slavyansk Battalion" in eastern Ukraine.

As a member of the terrorist group, the offender served at enemy checkpoints. There, he stopped vehicles of Ukrainian citizens attempting to leave the temporarily occupied territories. Moreover, during such stops, the militants kidnapped people and confiscated their vehicles.

The SBU also found that the suspect was an administrator of several pro-Kremlin groups on the banned social network "VKontakte." There, he encouraged Donetsk residents to join the terrorist organization "DNR." However, even before the full-scale invasion by the Russian Federation, the man left the ranks of the militants and fled to the territory controlled by Ukraine. He tried to remain hidden but SSU operatives determined his location and arrested him in one of the border regions of Vinnytsia region.

The suspect has been informed of the charges under Part 1 of Article 258-3 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison for participating in a terrorist group or organization.

It's worth mentioning that earlier, the SSU arrested an Odessa resident who was planning a missile strike on the Ukrainian capital.