Ten Russian soldiers captured on Tuesday by Ukrainian forces near the border in eastern Donetsk had crossed over by "accident," an unidentified Russian defense source said.

According to Russian news agency Interfax, the source said the soldiers were patrolling the Russia-Ukraine border and had most likely inadvertently crossed over at an unmarked section, adding that to their knowledge, the soldiers had not resisted arrest.

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The source also said about 500 Ukrainians had crossed into Russian territory at various times, arguing that Moscow had not given the incidents much publicity and had allowed those who wanted to return to do so.

Ukraine forces said the 10 Russian paratroopers were captured in Amvrosiivka, near the Dzerkalne village located about 50 kilometers from rebel-held Donetsk and some 20 kilometers from the border, BBC News reported.

Andiry Lysenko, spokesperson for the Ukrainian military, said the incursion was not a mistake but rather a special mission the soldiers were tasked to carry out.

He said pro-Russia militants were attacking Novoazovsk "this very minute" and that Ukrainian forces have so far destroyed 12 infantry vehicles in the area.

He added that 12 Ukrainian army personnel had already been killed in the last 24 hours, including four border patrol personnel who died after Russian Mi-24 copters attacked a post in Luhansk on Monday.

In a video posted in the Ukrainian government's anti-terrorist official Facebook page on Tuesday, the captured Russian soldiers were shown wearing military fatigues.

One soldier, who identified himself as Ivan Milchakov, said he was from the 331^st regiment of the 98^th Svirsk airborne division based in the town of Kostroma.

Milchakov claimed they were ordered to conduct a 70 kilometer in three days and said he was not aware when they had crossed the border.

Another soldier, Sgt. Andrei Generalov, said during an interview, "Stop sending in our boys," adding that this was not their war.

Another captive said they were mobilized as part of military exercises, the Associated Press learned.

Ukraine's Defense Minister Valeriy Geletey said that "officially," the Russian soldiers were conducting exercises in numerous corners of the country but in reality were unknowingly taking part in military aggression.

He called on the families of Russian servicemen to contact their loved ones and "take them out of Ukraine where they are being forced to die."

TagsUkraine crisis, pro-Russia separatists, Russian soldiers in Ukraine