MOSCOW, October 28. /TASS/. Four saboteurs were killed while attempting to infiltrate Russia’s borderline Bryansk Region, the Federal Security Service (FSB) said.

"On October 27, officers of the Russian Security Service’s Border Directorate for the Bryansk Region jointly with units of the Russian Armed Forces and National Guard Service thwarted an attempt to violate the state border in the Klimovsky district by a sabotage and reconnaissance group," the FSB Public Relations Center said.

"Four saboteurs were eliminated in a clash, other members of the retreating group were struck by artillery and sustained losses," it added.

According to the FSB, the killed militants were presumably mercenaries. "Foreign armament, gear, communications equipment and personal items evidencing that they belonged to third countries (a Canadian flag, a prayer book in Polish, a notebook with tactical training notes in English) were found on the eliminated saboteurs," it said.

"A tattoo of the 2nd Battalion of the 75th Ranger Regiment from the US Army Special Operations Reconnaissance Regiment was found on the body of one of the eliminated saboteurs," it said.

Bryansk Region’s governor, Alexander Bogomaz, said on October 27 that an armed group attempted to cross Russia’s border in the Bryansk Region. "Forces of the Russian Security Service’s Border Directorate for the Bryansk Region, units of the Russian army and National Guard Service thwarted an attempt to cross the state border by an armed group," he wrote on his Telegram channel, adding that "the enemy was eliminated.".