Urges US To Prevent Recruitment Of Mercenaries By Ukrainian Embassy In Washington, Russia: Have Serious International Impact

JAKARTA - Russia emphatically demands that Washington prevent the open recruitment of mercenaries carried out by the Ukrainian Embassy in the United States, as it could lead to unpredictable international consequences.

"Therefore, we firmly demand from the US side to prevent the activities of Ukraine's diplomatic agencies which not only pose a direct threat to the life and safety of US citizens, openly conflict with their diplomatic status, but also threaten to have unforeseen consequences and repercussions. serious international law," said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, quoted from TASS June 24.

The Russian Foreign Ministry noted information about examples of recruitment and deployment of US citizens to participate in the fighting in Ukraine, as well as in the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR) confirmed by the White House and US intelligence agencies.

Zakharova further emphasized that the activities of the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington which openly recruit mercenaries, for the so-called International Legion for the Territorial Defense of Ukraine, are contrary to the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

"Only according to US media outlets, after the start of Russian special operations, about 20,000 Americans expressed their readiness to help Kiev. While Ukrainian diplomatic agencies officially registered more than 6,000 applications," he said.

The spokesman also informed, according to a report by US Customs and Border Protection, that among US citizens traveling to Ukraine, there are many followers of 'white supremacist' groups who intend to participate in the fighting on the Ukrainian side, joining the rest of the formation. armed neo-Nazi Azov.

"We see condoning such activity by official US authorities as yet another proof that Washington is not interested in resolving the Ukraine crisis, instead, aspires to stoke conflict, aiming for Russia's strategic defeat," he said.

"Against this backdrop, attempts by the Ukrainian side to portray mercenaries as 'foreign volunteers' in the eyes of the US and the European public look very cynical," Zakharova said.