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Military operation in Ukraine

UK refuses to rescue its mercenaries in Ukraine, diplomat says

Earlier, the official representative of UK Prime Minister in response to a question about the fate of Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner who served in the Ukrainian army and were captured in Mariupol emphasized that the UK government would provide every possible support on this issue without specifying what it might be

MOSCOW, April 20. /TASS/. The UK leadership refused to assist in releasing British mercenaries captured in Ukraine, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told the Sputnik radio station on Wednesday.

"[The UK leadership] with unseen ease rejects the citizens of its country that are being captured, found there. I mean, Ukraine and the British citizens," she noted. "This is fantastic indeed! Being involved in the discussion of human rights, endlessly making statements over various humanitarian situations worldwide, they literally in one second turned away from their citizens, said it was their private affair and let them get out of it any way they can," the diplomat explained.

Earlier, the official representative of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in response to a question about the fate of Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner who served in the Ukrainian army and were captured in Mariupol emphasized that the UK government would provide every possible support on this issue without specifying what it might be. Pinner addressed Johnson on the Russia-1 TV channel, asking to exchange him and Aslin for Ukrainian politician Viktor Medvedchuk.

On April 12, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky announced that Medvedchuk had been detained and posted pictures of him in handcuffs. At the same time, Zelensky made a proposal to exchange the politician for Ukrainian prisoners of war. At the end of last week, Medvedchuk’s wife addressed the friends and relatives of the captured Britons to ask Johnson to exchange them for her husband.

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Foreign policy Maria Zakharova Military operation in Ukraine

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Kazakhstan to sign new agreement with Russia on border checkpoints

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EU border checkpoint closest to Russia’s St. Petersburg to cut its working hours

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US 'not forgetting' to help itself with aid to Ukraine — Kremlin

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Investigation into Crocus terrorist attack underway, traces lead to Ukraine — diplomat

Maria Zakharova noted the need to "wait for official information from the investigation"

Putin may hold meeting of Council on Interethnic Relations on April 24 — Council’s member

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Russia expects Armenia to clarify 'military, political accords' with US, EU — diplomat

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Germany fails to present evidence in case of espionage suspects — Russian embassy

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Iran intends to bolster military cooperation with Russia — envoy to Moscow

Kazem Jalali noted that Iran had demonstrated its ability to ensure security and nudge the region toward a de-escalation

Russian Aerospace Forces strike five militant hideouts in Syria’s Homs

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Russian Railways to triple tourist passenger flow to 3 mln people by 2030

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Germany moves to exclude Russia from concentration camp liberation celebrations

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Ukrainian drone attack damages four houses in Russia’s Voronezh

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Shoigu visits presentation of over 30 promising weapons, including robotic vehicles

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Yerevan's refusal to delimit borders with Baku to escalate regional tensions — PM

Nikol Pashinyan pointed out that the demarcation process also involves risks, but they are manageable, after which "Armenia will become ten times stronger"

Polish premier refuses to hand over his country’s Patriot systems to Ukraine

Donald Tusk said that German Chancellor’s call to send more air defense systems to Kiev had no relation to Poland, provided the country's geographical position near the frontline