Foreign Mercenaries in Ukraine Will Not Have POW Status — Russian Military

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov warned that all foreign mercenaries, detained in Ukraine, would be brought to justice on criminal charges

Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS

© Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS

MOSCOW, March 3. /TASS/. None of the mercenaries the West is sending to Ukraine to fight for the nationalist regime will enjoy the right of combatants under international humanitarian law, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.

"I wish to make an official statement that none of the mercenaries the West is sending to Ukraine to fight for the nationalist regime in Kiev can be considered as combatants in accordance with international humanitarian law or enjoy the status of prisoners of war," Konashenkov stressed.

He stated that all acts of sabotage by mercenaries in Ukraine were being carried out with the use of weapons provided by the West. Konashenkov said that foreign mercenaries were attacking Russian military and supply convoys and the aircraft providing support.

"In the videos being spread by Ukrainian secret services for propaganda purposes as footage allegedly filmed by local civilians they prefer not to get in front of the cameras," Konashenkov said.

He warned that all foreign mercenaries, detained in Ukraine, would be brought to justice on criminal charges.

"At best, they can expect to be prosecuted as criminals. We are urging all foreign citizens who may have plans to go and fight for Kiev’s nationalist regime to think a dozen times before getting on the way," Konashenkov said.