Russian President Vladimir Putin believes that volunteers should be able to fight against the Ukrainian army. At a meeting of the National Security Council, he said he supported that plan.
Defense Minister Sergei Shoygu said 16,000 volunteers in the Middle East are ready to fight with Russian-backed militias in eastern Ukraine. However, no details about this have been disclosed.
Putin has said that Russia should help the volunteers.
“If you see that there are people who want to help on a voluntary basis, you have to meet them and help them get to the places where there is fighting,” he told his defence minister.