Basurin: Over 40% of Ukrainian troops ready to support protests in Kiev

The Donetsk People’s Republic confirms that there was a skirmish between Ukrainian troops near Avdeevka on October 22, during a visit of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to the 72^nd Ukrainian Armed Forces Brigade in the town. According to EADaily’s correspondent, Deputy Commander of the DPR Eduard Basurin has announced it at a briefing on October 27.

Basuring reminded that according to information of the Ukrainian Security Service, two people were killed during the visit. Allegedly, they were preparing assassination of Poroshenko. However, some time later, after negative response of the opposition, the service recalled the allegations and announced that its press office e-mail was hacked.

“We confirm that there was a skirmish between Ukrainian troops on October 22 near Avdeevka. We cannot however confirm that it was the special operation to annihilate the opposition members,” Basurin said.

He noted that the announced goal of Poroshenko’s visit was demonstration of the president’s attention to the army problems. According to Basurin, Poroshenko started such trips to Ukrainian military units when opposition protests intensified in Kiev.

“All this attention to the armed forces from Poroshenko is connected only with his intention to win support from the army as there is a threat of a coup. However, his populist statements do not abolish the fact that subsidies in paying for communal fees, transportation and allocation of land plots for those who participate in the anti-terror operation are being lifted,” he said.

Basurin also informed that according to reports from units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces that are expecting rotation, more than 40% of the troops are dissatisfied with the policies of the current president and are ready to support a rally in front of the Supreme Rada in Kiev led by Mikheil Saakashvili. The only thing prevents them from participating in the rally before the rotation is the control on the roads from the ATO zone was toughened by the National Guard.