You're reading: Tornado battalion soldiers to be redeployed

Members of the Interior Ministry of Ukraine's commissions and psychologists are working with the soldiers of the Tornado special detachment battalion, Deputy Interior Minister Serhiy Yarovy has said.

“We have one task – to calm down the public. The situation is under control by the Interior Ministry. All the steps to implement the order of the Interior Minister on dissolving the detachment are being taken. Investigative (search) actions continue to be taken,” the press service of the Interior Ministry quoted Yarovy as saying.

Interior Minister of Ukraine Arsen Avakov said on June 18 that he had signed a decree dissolving the task force.

Ukrainian Deputy Prosecutor General and Chief Military Prosecutor Anatoly Matios said the chief military prosecutor’s office had investigated serious crimes allegedly committed by Tornado soldiers in the military operation area since March, and that some of the suspects had numerous previous convictions.

Tornado soldiers obstructed investigative procedures on June 18, and police tried to settle the conflict. The Interior Ministry said police would not storm the Tornado base. Matios said on June 19 that the base in the Luhansk region, where Tornado soldiers had barricaded themselves, had been mined. An Interior Ministry commission that arrived in Severodonetsk, Luhansk region, assured the members of the dissolved battalion that those of them who did not commit crimes would have the opportunity to serve with other units if they wished so.