MOSCOW, August 20. /TASS/. The Russian Foreign Ministry protested to the US Charge d'Affaires in Russia Stephanie Holmes over an illegal entry of American reporters into the Kursk Region, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"The US Charge d'Affaires to Russia Holmes was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry on August 20 and was issued a strong protest in connection with the provocative actions of American reporters, who illegally entered the Kursk Region for propaganda coverage of the Kiev regime's crimes, as well as the emerging evidence of the participation of an American PMC on the side of Ukrainian forces during their invasion of the territory of the Russian Federation," the ministry said on Telegram.

"It was underscored that such actions, which run counter to the assertions of [US President] Joe Biden's administration that it allegedly has nothing to do with the attack on Russia by Ukrainian neo-Nazis, clearly prove the involvement of the US, as a direct participant in the conflict, in [Ukrainian President Vladimir] Zelensky's malicious conspiracies," the ministry said.

According to the ministry, Russian agencies will conduct investigative activities to bring to justice the American journalists that entered the Kursk region.

"It was stressed that with regard to the American nationals involved in these crimes, in accordance with the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, the competent agencies will carry out the necessary investigative activities to bring them to justice. In addition, it was made clear that all foreign ‘specialists’ and mercenaries that illegally cross the border of our country automatically become a legitimate military target for the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation," the ministry stated.