Ukrainian soldiers assault Turkish truck drivers going home
A Turkish truck driver tells Sputnik that Ukrainian soldiers in Kiev aggressively attacked him and his coworkers, preventing them from returning to their homeland.
A Turkish truck driver was beaten by Ukrainian soldiers in the capital, Kiev, as he and other drivers attempted to return to their homeland.
"There are 12 Turkish truck drivers stuck in the city of Kiev," the Turkish driver told Russian news agency Sputnik, adding that "Ukrainian military are preventing them from returning to Turkey."
"Ukrainian military used extreme force against Turkish truck drivers who want to return to their country," the driver stressed.
The driver detailed that "while they were on their way back to Turkey, Ukrainian military dragged them from the trucks and viciously assaulted one of the drivers in the center of Kiev, causing him injury."
"He and his colleagues were unable to speak with Turkish diplomatic offices and necessary authorities to request aid," the driver stressed.
"The Turkish embassy and consulate seem unconcerned about Turkish people stranded in Ukraine," he concluded.
The Russian president Vladimir Putin authorized a special military operation in Donbass on Thursday, stressing that the Russian forces do not have any intention to occupy Ukraine; however, it will defend itself against Ukrainian forces if it must. Russia has previously stated that NATO's desire to expand eastward, including into Ukraine, poses a direct threat to Russia's national security.