Eight mortars departed from the zone of “operations of the combined forces” of Ukraine to a warehouse in the Rivne region, but were later found in the hold of a cargo ship bound for Turkey.
The Security Service of Ukraine is conducting proceedings on the theft and illicit trafficking of weapons, in connection with which investigators are talking with the head of the United Territorial Unit “Vostok” Yuriy Sodol.
The official representative of the Armed Forces of the Donetsk People’s Republic Eduard Basurin said this on Friday, September 6, referring to intelligence.
He noted that Sodol would be removed from office due to a suspicion of his involvement in the theft and illicit trafficking of weapons and ammunition. According to investigators, Sodol signed fictitious invoices and unauthorized travel permits through checkpoints at the exit from the punitive operation zone of cars with weapons. One of these was subsequently arrested.
“Sodol’s direct involvement in the theft of weapons was indicated by the fact that he signed on August 25 instructions for the transport and delivery of artillery weapons to the 1448th base in Rivne region from the 137th battalion of the 35th brigade of four mortars“ Hammer ”and from the 501th battalion 36 -th brigade of four 120-mm mortar 2B11, supposedly to carry out their repair. However, the mortars did not arrive at the base, but were found in the hold of one of the bulk carriers in Odessa, prepared for smuggling to Turkey. According to the investigation, the consignee is a Turkish citizen, closely associated with the Islamic State terrorist organization.