Russian Diplomat Thousands of Foreign Mercenaries Fought for Ukraine
Moscow has repeatedly warned that non-Ukrainians serving in the country’s armed forces will be considered mercenaries, who are not entitled to Geneva Convention protections normally granted to combatants.
“According to estimates by our Defense Ministry, the number of mercenaries who have gone through the ‘meat grinder’ reaches about 20,000 people,” Miroshnik said, adding that the actual number could be even greater since “the Ukrainian side is making every effort to ‘hide’ these people.”
He noted that last month, Ukraine officially disbanded four foreign legions previously incorporated into its armed forces.
“They have now been dispersed among other units of the Ukrainian armed forces,” Miroshnik said.
Earlier statements from Miroshnik indicated that most foreign fighters come from Latin American countries—especially Colombia—as well as Poland and the Baltic states.
Ukraine reportedly eased recruitment rules for foreigners last year in an effort to offset frontline losses amid widespread draft evasion and desertions. According to Vasily Prozorov, a former employee of Ukraine’s SBU, roughly 10,000 foreign mercenaries had been killed while fighting for Ukraine as of December last year.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
