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Military operation in Ukraine

Georgian Legion POWs say they were trained by NATO instructors — video

The ideology of the Georgian Legion, the POW said, was Russophobia: "kill Russians and do not to take prisoners"

MOSCOW, June 14. /TASS/. Captured mercenaries of the Georgian National Legion in Ukraine, recognized as a terrorist organization in Russia, have said that they were trained by NATO instructors, including those from Sweden and New Zealand, with the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry acting as the organizer. A video of their testimony has been released by the Federal Security Service (FSB).

One of the POWs said that he had been trained at a base of Azov, a terrorist group recognized as terrorist in Russia. Since 2023 he has been "trained by NATO instructors".

Another prisoner stated that after signing a contract they "went to Liman (in the Nikolaev Region) and a couple of days later they moved to training grounds."

"There were instructors from Europe, NATO instructors - Swedes and New Zealanders - who instructed the trainees in tactics, the operation of drones, how to move about in pairs and groups of three, and assault technique." A female instructor who introduced herself as Shannon, from New Zealand, taught medical skills.

"The training took place in Kiev, a former tractor factory, the ATEF," another POW said. "During the training, supervisors from the Main Intelligence Directorate [of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry] came there periodically. Foreign instructors also came to observed the training process. "I know that I am a Georgian citizen, I am a mercenary, yes, I fought for money," he confessed.

A fourth prisoner said that on Polish territory he failed to join the "international legion" and had to join the Georgian one. The ideology of the Georgian Legion, he said, was Russophobia: "kill Russians and do not to take prisoners."

"They indulged in looting rather than defended positions," he stated. "They gave incomprehensible orders to shoot civilians under the pretext that they were saboteurs, throwing grenades at Azov personnel." According to the POW, when he saw once an Azov officer shoot a civilian, he approached him, but did not see any grenades or weapons on the killed man. He also testified that the chiefs of the Georgian Legion trained their subordinates in reconnaissance and sabotage and promised a cash reward.

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