DONETSK, February 7. /TASS/. Yan Gagin, a military analyst and an adviser to the interim head of the Donetsk People’s Republic, on Monday told TASS that Ukrainian forces shot and killed a group of mercenaries who were, tentatively, Polish nationals.

"According to our data, Ukrainian units shot and killed a group of foreign servicemen Sunday night into Monday morning. Tentatively [they were] Polish. Clashes between Ukrainian and Polish units have become more frequent in recent weeks. That’s according to intelligence data, including interceptions of radio communications," he said.

Gagin said serious conflicts between Polish mercenaries and Ukrainian servicemen were also reported by some of the troops that were taken prisoner near Ugledar in recent days.

It was reported in January that DPR’s forces near Gorlovka intercepted radio communications where Ukrainian soldiers and Polish mercenaries were engaged in verbal fights.

Andrey Marochko, a retired lieutenant-colonel of the People’s Militia of the Lugansk People’s Republic, said in November 2022 that there were growing differences between Ukrainian troops and Polish mercenaries, which sometimes ended in fights and even exchanges of gunfire.