Siberian volunteers head west to 'defend Russians' in war-torn eastern Ukraine

A group of Siberian volunteers are making a five-day journey by bus to take up arms and join pro-Russian separatists in the conflict in Ukraine, claims a TV station.

The 31 men are a mixture of ordinary people such as drivers, builders and masseurs, and military veterans who have seen action in the likes of Afghanistan and Chechnya.  

With fighting still taking place in eastern parts of Ukraine, the group from Tomsk said they wanted to join in to help 'stop the lawlessness'.

The volunteers, aged between 23 and 50, say they are 'very well prepared' and ready for action even though many of them have no experience in conflict.

Some were waved off by their loved ones as they left on their 3,900km journey to an area known as Novorossiya in eastern Ukraine, but others did not tell their relatives where they are going.

The news comes as reports say as many as 200 other men from Siberia have already headed to Lugansk from Barnaul.

Fighting has been particularly fierce recently particularly at the nearby Donetsk airport, despite the latest ceasefire. 

The West and Kiev claim Russian army and special forces have been involved helping separatists controlling a large swathe of eastern Ukraine, but this is strongly denied by the Kremlin.

The group of 31 Siberian volunteers, who have been assisted by the Russian Union of Afghan Veterans, were interviewed on TV2 as evidently departed for the crisis-hit region.

In the report, the TV news journalist states: 'The bus will take them straight to the border with the Luhansk region, which is going to take five days to get there. 

'In the bus they sit in groups: the intelligence, the attacking squad and the back front support. Somebody is being waved goodbye, as for others it looks like their relatives don't know where the head of the family is heading. 

'Up until now they worked as drivers, builders and masseurs. Many went through Afghanistan and Chechnya. But there are also those that have only got military conscription experience.'

The men are shown boarding the bus, with their military-style backpacks piled up on the ground.

One man, whose face is blurred to hide his identity, says he served in Afghanistan in 1983-1984 and when asked how long he will head to Ukraine for he replies: 'No-one knows.' 

The unnamed fighter, who said he 'misses the adrenaline of warfare, stressed they are not being paid to fight in Ukraine and have volunteered to take part. 

He added: 'The fact is that is it not about the money, people are fighting there without money. We are not paid soldiers on the territory of an alien state. It is an officially recognised volunteer movement.'

Explaining why he is travelling from Siberia, another man said: 'It's offensive to us that some ***** dares to kill children and women. We cannot just look at this all. We've been training, we're ready. And believe me, we are very well prepared.

'We're not going there to make money, but to stop this lawlessness.'

According to the Tomsk Union of Afghanistan Veterans a number of volunteers have been travelling from different cities in Siberia. The men from Tomsk were only able to go as a result of money from sponsors.

Chairman Mikhail Kolmakov said: 'It was the initiative of Union of Afghanistan Veterans, Union of Russian paratroopers and Combat Fraternity.

'Officially, on Red Square our leadership said that there is a need to help the people of Luhansk and Donetsk republics. From almost all Siberian regions volunteers were asked for. I do not hide that a lot of our guys went alone. Already some are returning.

'Therefore, it was decided to send a centralized group. There is a commander and a deputy commander of the squad.'

He added that anyone who contacted him simply looking to be paid to take up arms was turned away. He said: 'I will not hide the fact there were guys who came and asked for a fee. We said 'goodbye' to them immediately.'

Fighting has raged in eastern Ukraine since April after pro-Russian rebels seized control of official buildings.

Under a deal agreed last week, both sides in Lugansk agreed to a ceasefire with a withdrawal of heavy weapons from the frontline at the weekend.