MOSCOW, May 3. /TASS/. Russia’s Investigative Committee has opened criminal cases against 75 mercenaries taking part in hostilities on the side of Ukraine, Chairman of the committee Alexander Bastrykin said in an interview with Russia Today. Extracts from the interview were published on the channel’s website on Tuesday.
According to the investigations, the mercenaries came from the UK, the USA, Norway, Canada, Georgia and other countries, Bastrykin said.
"For example, a citizen of Georgia, Mamulashvili, created the Georgian National Legion armed group on the territory of Ukraine, became its leader and involved at least 24 Georgian citizens in its activities as mercenaries," Bastrykin told RT. He adding that some of them had surrendered and were questioned by investigators.
Bastrykin also said that in total there are more than 2,000 Ukrainian servicemen in Russia who voluntarily laid down their arms, including five commanders of the Armed Forces of Ukraine brigade who fought against the population of Donbass.
"Investigators are working with them, learning a lot of details about the circumstances of the crimes of the Ukrainian regime. These testimonies concern, in particular, working with foreign instructors, as well as the participation of citizens of other countries as mercenaries," the Chairman of the Russian Investigative Committee said.