2 Russian army deserters arrested while heading for Kyiv
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Two Russian deserters were arrested after fleeing their units and attempting to make their way to Kyiv dressed as civilians, Ukraine's State Security Service (SBU) said on Oct. 28.
Both men had been fighting with Russia's 291st Motorized Rifle Regiment in Donetsk Oblast when they left their positions and reached a village in the gray zone near the front line.
"There, they changed into civilian clothes found in an abandoned house, buried their military uniforms and standard-issue Russian army weapons on the premises, and set off on foot toward the district center," the SBU said in a statement.
"En route to the city, they flagged down a vehicle; the driver agreed to give them a ride to Dnipro, from where they intended to travel on to Kyiv."
Both were detained when trying to cross into Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and one "was found to be wearing a Russian military identification tag around his neck."
"According to available information, the Russian militants hoped to reach the capital — where one of them has relatives — and 'go underground,'" the SBU added.
According to the SBU investigation, one is originally a resident of the Russian-occupied city of Dovzhansk in Luhansk Oblast who had been fighting for Moscow since 2016 and has two prior convictions for murder.
He faces charges under Parts 1 and 2 of Article 111 of Ukraine's Criminal Code, which cover high treason committed under martial law, and Part 7 of Article 111-1, which concerns collaborationist activity.
The other is a Russian citizen who signed a contract to fight for Russia in exchange for being released from prison on a charge of murder. He is being held as a prisoner of war (POW).
