Latvia volunteers head to Ukraine to join pro Russia rebels

  • 2014-07-30
  • From wire reports, RIGA

(pic: mashable.com)

 A group of volunteers from Latvia is heading to the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic in eastern Ukraine to join independence supporters, the leader of Latvia’s For Native Language party told RIA Novosti on Tuesday.

“A group of volunteers has departed for the Donetsk People’s Republic. It’s small,” Vladimir Linderman said.

The Baltic Times earlier reported that Latvia’s security police was investigating claims that Latvian citizens were currently fighting in the conflict there. Baltic officials have denied the reports.

Kiev has been conducting a special military operation in the southeast of Ukraine since mid-April. The fighting intensified after Donetsk and Luhansk regions proclaimed themselves independent people’s republics in May. Hundreds of people, including civilians have died in both regions over the past months.