MOSCOW, January 19. /TASS/. The Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament) at the next plenary session intends to address the French parliament in connection with French mercenaries in Ukraine, Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said.

"In France, mercenarism is prohibited by law. Therefore, the State Duma deputies must address the French National Assembly on this issue. It is important for us to know whether they are aware that someone, violating the norms of the law, is sending mercenaries to fight in Ukraine. <...> At the next plenary session of the State Duma we will definitely consider an appeal to the French parliament with the abovementioned questions," he said.

Volodin explained that there are different stages in the history of relations between Russia and France. "There was a time when our grandfathers and great-grandfathers fought together against fascism. But today, as it turns out, French mercenaries are dying for the Nazi regime in Ukraine. Do the citizens of France and the deputies who represent their interests know about this?" the lawmaker emphasized.

The next plenary session of the State Duma is scheduled for January 23.

Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry said that the Russian military launched a precision strike on a temporary deployment site of foreign fighters, mostly Frenchm in Kharkov. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told TASS that French Ambassador to Russia Pierre Levy had been summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry.