Russia urges U.S. to stop involvement of mercenaries in conflict in Ukraine - diplomat
MOSCOW. June 5 (Interfax) - Russia is calling on the United States to take steps to curb involvement of foreign mercenaries in the ongoing military operation in Ukraine, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said.
"We would like the U.S. administration to take efficient measures to curb participation of mercenaries from abroad in Kyiv's punitive operation against the protesters, against the people fighting for their rights in southeastern regions of Ukraine," Ryabkov said in an interview with Interfax.
"We cannot ignore continued reports, including in Western media outlets, that groups of private companies specializing in providing security and military operations are acting in Ukraine," he said.
"The notorious Greystone (later known as Academi) is only the best known logo of such structures. Judging by information coming from various sources, we are dealing not only with this structure, which has stained itself by mercenary activities in numerous conflicts, but also some others, including from Eastern Europe, particularly from Poland," Ryabkov said.
The U.S. structures acting in Ukraine are "in fact militarized groups composed of well-trained personnel with state-of-the-art equipment," Ryabkov said. "That is, these are combat forces that are taking part in special operations in the true sense of the word," he said.
"In addition to Academi/Greystone, there is also a structure called Cubic Applications International," he said.
"We are repeatedly saying this to our American counterparts. Unfortunately, we see responses to the effect that nothing of the sort is happening or can happen, that everything has been denied, and the matter isn't worth being revisited. But facts say the opposite. I am sure this issue will remain on the agenda of our dialogue with the U.S.," Ryabkov said.
The full version of the interview will be published on www.interfax.ru.