MOSCOW, January 24. /TASS/. The Kremlin insists it has reliable information about the presence of French mercenaries in Ukraine, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

He added that Paris should do more to better ensure that French citizens stay out of harm’s way. "We still insist that we are in possession of reliable information about the presence of French nationals in Ukraine, French mercenaries <…> and [we] believe that they [the French government] should take much better care of their citizens or, at least, insistently urge them against participating in the criminal activities of the Kiev regime," Peskov stated.

He added that the Kremlin is aware of the declarations by French officials who claim that they "cannot do anything" about the issue of French soldiers of fortune on the payroll of the Kiev regime.

"We regret this," he said.