The exit of Girkin's group from Sloviansk in the direction of Donetsk in July 2014 could have been stopped, Minister for Veterans Affairs Yulia Laputina said.

"This is a very painful story for us. We really received information where the convoy was heading, what it was doing. We transmitted information to decision-making centers. All our employees and the military said and say that it was possible to stop its exit," she said in an exclusive interview with the Interfax-Ukraine agency.

In 2014, Laputina took part in the anti-terrorist operation as part of the Alpha group.

A group of militants under the command of Igor Girkin left the captured Sloviansk on the night of July 5, 2014. The ATO leadership has repeatedly stated that it was impossible to prevent the exit of terrorists from the city and their transfer to Donetsk.

"I think this is a political issue, accepted by our leadership. Whether we will find out the truth someday, I don’t know," Laputina said.

April 14 marks the 7th anniversary of the issuance of presidential decree No. 405/2014 on the start of the anti-terrorist operation, by which the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine dated April 13, 2014 On urgent measures to overcome the terrorist threat and preserve the territorial integrity of Ukraine was put into effect. The decree came into force on the day of its publication.