Contract soldier who fled to Georgia states humiliation during service

Vitaly Khripun, a sergeant of a Russian frontier unit, deployed in South Ossetia, explained his escape by the humiliations, to which he was subjected at his place of service.

According to sources in South-Ossetian power agencies, sergeant Khripun took his contract service in a frontier unit deployed in the republic. He was transferred here from a unit located in the north of Russia. His recent unit was deployed in Sinagur village, Dzhava District, 50 km off Tskhinvali.

"He left in the evening on Sunday, drunk and with firearms," the "Kommersant" quotes a South-Ossetian power agent, who added: "In fear of responsibility for desertion, he will now hardly return to Russia, therefore, he will soon appear in Georgian TV channels."

The commanders of frontier troops in South Ossetia refused to comment Vitaly Khripun's disappearance, saying that all information "can be received only in Moscow." In its turn, the press service of the Federal Frontier Troops of the FSB of the Russian Federation has reported that the inquiry is underway.

At the same time, the Ministry for Refugees' Matters and Accommodation of Georgia has reported that in the afternoon on Monday, December 21, they received an official paper from the MIA that one more, already the third Russian military in recent time asked for political asylum in Georgia.

Earlier, the Frontier Department of the FSB had stated that Khripun had been detained by the Georgian party, the Radio Liberty reports.