21 January 2010, 23:20
Tskhovrebov: warrant officer Khripun, who deserted to Georgia, chooses politics, not custody
Warrant officer Vitaly Khripun, a former contract military in South Ossetia, who occurred in the territory of Georgia, got there in the state of alcoholic intoxication and was put before a choice - either being put to prison or become a political figure by revealing problems in his military unit. This is the opinion of Timur Tskhovrebov, editor of the newspaper "21st Century".
Let us remind you that on December 20 last year warrant officer Vitaly Khripun voluntarily left his post of frontier control located in Sinagur village Dzhava District of South Ossetia.
Later Vitaly Khripun, while already in the territory of Georgia, explained his decision by the fact that he could no longer withstand humiliations and insults of his colleagues. Now Vitaly Khripun is waiting for a refugee status and some housing in Tbilisi.
However, other versions exist in South Ossetia. Mr Tskhovrebov told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that Khripun, a native of the Poltava Region of Ukraine, had earlier served under contract in Arkhangelsk, and only recently arrived to South Ossetia. However, he took his contract service in Sinagur for three days only. On December 20, he drank to much Ossetian wine, lost his orientation in the locality and frontier zone and left his post in the state of alcoholic intoxication.
The soldiers from Sinagur, who preferred to remain anonymous, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that no hazing could have been exhibited in relation to Khripun, since he was not a serviceman, but a free contracted military. The unit personnel refrained from open comments.
Author: Maria Kotaeva Source: CK correspondent
