Russia said it carried out an attack using Iskander-M missiles that killed 50 foreign trainers in Ukraine.
Crews of Moscow’s Iskander-M missile systems attacked a temporary deployment site for advisers and mercenaries from Western countries in the Kharkiv region, the Russian Defense Ministry said on July 23.
According to the announcement, the incident killed about 50 foreign coaches on the Ukrainian side.
“The crew of the Iskander-M tactical missile system attacked a temporary deployment point for trainers and mercenaries from Western countries in the village of Dergachi, Kharkiv region. As a result of the attack, about 50 foreign trainers were killed,” the statement said.
Russia has repeatedly said that Western trainers, advisers, and mercenaries have come to Ukraine to support the country’s armed forces in fighting Moscow’s special military operation in the neighboring country.
Russia previously announced eliminating mercenaries from the US, UK, Georgia, and several other Western countries. Russia has repeatedly warned foreign citizens not to travel to Ukraine to fight against Moscow.
Russia stressed that under international humanitarian law, mercenaries do not enjoy the same rights as prisoners of war.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, more than 13,000 foreign mercenaries have come to Ukraine to fight on Kiev’s side since the conflict began. So far, 6,000 of them have died, Russia says.
Ukraine has not commented on these figures.
The Iskander-M battlefield missile system is designed to strike small-sized and stationary enemy targets at a range of up to 500 km, including missile launchers, multiple launch rocket systems, long-range artillery, aircraft and helicopters at airfields, command and communications posts, centers, and manpower concentration points.
