MOSCOW. April 4 (Interfax) - Most Ukrainian servicemen based in Crimea have said they want to serve in the Russian Armed Forces, and such an opportunity has been given to them, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said.
"More than 8,000 of them have already submitted the documents needed to receive Russian passports," Shoigu said at a special session of the Defense Ministry on Friday.
"Of them, some 3,000 people have already been assigned to different posts," he said.
"Now it is necessary to create an environment that will help them adapt for service in the Russian Armed Forces as soon as possible," the defense minister said.