Eight Spaniards arrested for joining Ukraine rebels

Police have arrested eight Spanish citizens who they suspect of fighting in Ukraine alongside pro-Russian rebels. 

Two of the fighters accused of fighting with the Ukrainian rebels
Two of the fighters accused of fighting with the Ukrainian rebels

Police in Spain have arrest have Spanish citizens who they suspect of fighting alongside pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine.

The eight Spanish fighters were arrested after returning from Ukraine where they took part in the conflict in the Donbas region last year, Spain’s interior ministry said. They now face charges of complicity in murder, possession of weapons and violation of Spain’s neutrality stance in the Ukrainian conflict.

During their stay in Ukraine, the Spanish fighters posted pictures of themselves with rifles and explosives on social media. They had also posted messages online about their commitment to fighting fascism in Ukraine.

"This is the first police operation conducted in Europe against the activities of foreign fighters in the Ukrainian conflict," Spain’s interior ministry said, adding that the suspects were detained in raids across six regions in Spain.

According to media reports, the men had been inspired by the International Brigades, a multinational force of volunteers that fought against Francisco Franco’s uprising during the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s.

Spain’s El Pais newspaper said the suspects formed part of communist groups and had received support from an unofficial pro-Russia network in Europe.

Rebels have been fighting government forces in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions- known as Donbas- since April 2014, a month after Russia annexed the Crimea peninsula.

Both sides are said to have attracted foreign fighters. A group of Swedish neo-Nazis were reported to have been fighting with the pro-government Azov Battalion group.

The UN has estimated that around 5,800 people have died since April and believes that the real figure could be much higher.

The two sides have recently agreed to withdraw their heavy weapons from the front line, as per a truce deal.