Transcarpathian battalion arrives in Ivano-Frankivsk after leaving Donbas fighting area
IVANO-FRANKIVSK. Aug 29 (Interfax) - The Transcarpathian territorial defense battalion, which earlier left the area of the army operation in eastern Ukraine without permission, has returned to its permanent base in the village of Delyatyn in Ukraine's western Ivano-Frankivsk region.
According to servicemen, the battalion came under Grad strikes near the town of Amvrosiyivka in the Donetsk region early on August 24, and the battalion commander "decided to withdraw from the positions in order to save the lives of his soldiers."
The soldiers do not think they are deserters.
"There can be one, two or three deserters. But when an entire battalion, except for 20 people, retreats, it is not an act of desertion. I retreated alongside my command. I believe it was the right decision in order to save the lives of personnel," a battalion commander said.
The battalion will be prepared to return to the area of the army operation in eastern Ukraine after more soldiers join it, some servicemen said.
The battalion's soldiers were met by their relatives and friends on the border between the Ternopil and Ivano-Frankivsk regions, an Interfax correspondent has reported.
The 420-strong Transcarpathian battalion left for the site of the "anti-terrorist operation" in eastern Ukraine on July 1.
On August 25, the mothers and wives of the battalion's servicemen staged a rally on a road leading to Ivano-Frankivsk demanding their immediate rotation.
