"Serbian snipers intend to kill Ukrainian soldiers"

"Serbian snipers intend to kill Ukrainian soldiers"

A group of mercenaries from Serbia has arrived in Donetsk area, intelligence data shows, ATO announced on Facebook.

"A group of Serb sniper mercenaries, whose leader is Dejan Beric, nicknamed Deki, has arrived in Donetsk. He was in Donbass on several occasions to fight for money on the side of Russia and the occupying forces against the Ukrainian armed forces," the announcement said.

It is added that the Serb mercenaries "intend to kill Ukrainian soldiers" at the demarcation line and "provoke the peaceful population."

"These scoundrels are traitors to conscience and human values.They agreed to shed the blood of patriots and protectors of the Ukrainian country for a dozen Russian pieces of silver. If members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine come across them, these intruders should be sent back to where they came from, at the expense of their defense ministry," the ATO headquarters concluded.

The media reported earlier that Beric was "the most famous Serb fighter in Donbass" who was in August "wounded on the front line." Relations between Serbia and Ukraine have recently been strained at the diplomatic level after Ukrainian Ambassador Oleksandr Aleksandrovych said that Russian President Vladimir Putin "does not care for Serbia" but was using our country as "another instrument to destroy Europe," while "Russia is training Serbian mercenaries to kill Ukrainians" and "used the Serb extremists to make a coup in Montenegro."

The Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reacted immediately, urging Aleksandrovych to act within the framework of the Vienna Convention, or face Belgrade taking "steps customary in such cases."

Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic stated at the time that Ukraine was aware that Serbia was prosecuting foreign fighters and respecting the integrity of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian ambassador was withdrawn to Kiev for consultations, and later said that he "did not change his stance."

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic is currently visiting Russia, where he will on Tuesday meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.