MOSCOW, May 26. /TASS/. More than 2,000 mercenaries from 71 countries, including 234 US nationals, are fighting against the Russian Armed Forces in the special military operation zone, Russia’s Investigative Committee (IC) told TASS on Friday.

"According to information from Russian intelligence services, there are more than 2,000 [mercenaries] from 71 countries. <…> These include 366 Georgians, 234 Americans, 233 British nationals, 185 Syrian citizens, and 70 more individuals from Canada and a number of other countries," the IC said in a statement.

According to the law enforcement agency, IC Chairman Alexander Bastrykin has held an operational meeting in Donetsk to discuss probes into the crimes committed by Ukrainian troops against civilians and Russian service members. So far, 80 criminal cases have been sent to the courts, with a number of guilty verdicts already being handed down.

"At the same time, active work is ongoing to register crimes against peace and the security of humankind committed by Ukrainian military leaders, commanders and soldiers, as well as other Ukrainian units," the Investigative Committee concluded.

Addressing a meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers under the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) on Thursday, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said that more than 2,500 foreign mercenaries were implicated in punitive actions and combat operations, which would result in escalation leading to a protracted conflict.