Another High-Ranking Ukraine Official Switches to Donetsk Republic

The first deputy of the pro-Kiev Donetsk regional department of justice head has resigned and switched to the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR). This is not the first time Ukrainian officials come over Donetsk opposition forces lately.

“I’ve decided to quit Ukraine’s justice bodies as I do not support actions of the government stirring up the war hysteria. I have a peaceful profession, and it bars both war propaganda and participation in warfare,” former Ukrainian official Sergei Kucheruk, said today at a press conference in Donetsk.

The official, whose relatives live in Donetsk, said he was waiting for “the government to adequately start to deal with the ongoing conflict,” but he never saw this happen.

“People keep dying, it’s awful, it’s unacceptable,” he added.

Sergei Kucheruk also confirmed he is ready to work for DPR.

Earlier this year, there was a wave of Ukraine officials who had jumped ship.

Major-general of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and ex-adviser of the minister of defense Alexander Kolomiyets joined the Donetsk People’s Republic on June 22.

Earlier the former head of Ukraine’s Lugansk customs, Oleh Chernousov, switched sides to join the Lugansk People’s Republic.

Brothers Alexei and Yuri Miroshnichenko, the first serving with the Ukrainian foreign intelligence service (SZRU) and the latter at the Ukrainian embassy in France, also moved to Lugansk in June, owing their transition to them being “unable to tolerate the strangle of traitors, foreign security service agents, fascists and nationalists in the government,” according to Rossiyskaya Gazeta.