Ukrainian largest brigade completely withdrawn from Donbas
One of the largest brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has been completely withdrawn from the zone where Kyiv is conducting the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) in the Donbas, RIA Novosti Ukrayina reports.
The brigade in question is the 128th Mountain Infantry Brigade of the Ukraine’s Armed Forces, stationed in the Zakarpattia province and with its headquarters in Mukachevo. The local online news portal Mukachevo.net also reported on the return of the fighters to Zakarpattia. The brigade is also known as the “Zakarpattia Legion” and is one of the largest brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the portal noted.
According to returned soldiers who were interviewed by the news agency, the brigade’s withdrawal began on Saturday, January 20. On Sunday January 21, the entire brigade, including the command, had to leave the combat zone. The brigade has been withdrawn so that it can “recover”, and will spend roughly half a year at its permanent stationing point, at least until July 2018, according to provisional information.
The news outlet also published photographs showing how soldiers who have just arrived in Vynohradiv on a train are met with “with bread and salt”. The TV channel 112 Ukraine showed a story with the brigade’s soldiers returning to Uzhhorod.