KIEV, Ukraine (AP) – Representatives of Amnesty International and the OSCE have visited the two captured fighters whom Ukraine claims are Russian soldiers in a Kiev hospital.
Russia denies that the men, who were wounded and captured Saturday in rebellious eastern Ukraine, are members of its armed forces. But Ukraine’s security service on Tuesday posted videos of both men saying they were active-duty servicemen.
During the visit to the hospital by the international representatives, one of the men, Capt. Yevgeny Yerofeyev said “to my relatives, I want to say that everything is fine with me. I’m alive and well.”
Ukraine and Western countries assert that Russia is sending soldiers and equipment to bolster the separatist rebels. Ukraine says the capture of the two men is definitive proof of Russia’s participation in the war.