BUCHAREST, March 20. /TASS/. Ukrainian special reconnaissance teams that recently tried to break into Russia’s border regions included Romanian mercenaries, Romanian newspaper Ziarul de Iasi reported.

According to the report, the saboteurs included 2 members of the Getica combat group, staffed with Romanian-speakers fighting on Kiev’s side. Members of this group are paid up to 3,000 euros, the report says.

The newspaper quotes the group commander, who said that "a maximum of 50 Romanians" and "about the same number of Moldovans" fight on the Ukrainian side, adding that "not all of them are currently at the frontline." Some Romanians belong to the Getica group, while others fight in various units of the so-called Foreign Legion of the Ukrainian armed forces. According to the commander, one Romanian mercenary was killed during the hostilities.

On March 19, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that all infiltration attempts by saboteurs, foreign mercenaries and "various scum" had failed. According to the president, enemy groups "planned to carry out a real terror raid through cities and settlements of Belgorod and Kursk regions," but they were met with fire as they were approaching, and "suffered heavy casualties, including the loss of armored vehicles and artillery.".