– Russian-Ukrainian volunteer corps going to Syria to fight (“Window to Russia”, Russia) (Voice of Russia, Aug 27, 2013):
Plans are in the works to send a Russian-Ukrainian volunteer corps to Syria to help its leadership with the struggle against the rebels. Several thousand people have already signed up. This came in a statement from the initiator of the volunteer formation, Ukrainian intelligence veteran, Sergey Razumovsky.
“We have literally met with a squall. On all our electronic resources there are requests from people who want to join the corps, mainly from Russia, Belarus, and even Moldova,” Razumovsky says.
As for citizens of Ukraine, according to him, they “react with difficulty, so far”.
According to the intelligence veteran, the government of the Republic did not respond to the initiative. It is not specified when the formation of the corps will be completed.
In mid-May, Razumovsky delivered a video message about the establishment of the volunteer corps. He addressed his appeal to “all the military veterans of the Soviet Union, and Russian and Ukrainian officers living in Ukraine”.
Recalling the unsuitable living conditions of the officers, Razumovsky stated that they could offer their skills to the authorities of other countries – namely, to help Syrian President Bashar al-Assad restore constitutional order.
According to Razumovsky, in return, the Syrian authorities can grant citizenship to volunteers, provide insurance to their (the volunteers’) families and help them find housing and take up residence after the war.