He explained that the largest number, 1,717, came from Poland; 1,500 are from the United States, Canada and Romania; from the UK and Georgia, 300 each; while 193 entered Ukraine from Turkish-controlled areas of the Syrian Arab Republic.
He added that most of them are now distributed among Ukrainian units fighting in the cities of Kyiv, Kharkov, Odessa, Nikolayev and Mariupol.
They are distributed to the groups from the regional coordination headquarters of the so-called International Defense Legion of Ukraine in the city of Bila Tserkva, he said.
According to the top Russian military chief, the number of mercenaries is steadily declining as a result of the hostilities and currently stands at 4,877.
“Russian forces eliminated 1,350 in combat operations and another 912 mercenaries refused to take part in the fighting and fled the country,” he explained.
In his daily report to the press, Konashénkov reminded that foreign mercenaries do not have the status of combatants under international humanitarian law.
“They came to Ukraine to make money by killing Slavs. Therefore, the best they can expect is criminal liability and long prison terms,” he warned.
On the other hand, the Russian Defense Ministry indicated that it intends to lay down arms against the soldiers blocked at the Azovstal Steelworks in the port city of Mariúpol, thereby saving their lives.
“However, according to a radio recording, the nationalist regime in Kyiv banned surrender negotiations and ordered the Nazis in Azov to immediately shoot any Ukrainian soldiers and foreign mercenaries who tried to lay down their arms,” Konashenkov said.
Around 400 mercenaries are currently surrounded in the Azov Valley, most of them Europeans or Canadians. “If they continue to resist, they will all be destroyed,” he said.
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