Washington asks for designating U.S. mercenaries captured in Ukraine as combatants - Deputy FM Ryabkov

MOSCOW. July 8 (Interfax) - The United States has asked for designating U.S. mercenaries captured in Ukraine as combatants but there is no dialogue on this matter, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said.

"As far as I know, the issue was not discussed any further. The U.S. side sent a certain message, mostly urging us to include these individuals in the category of combatants, as defined by the Geneva Convention, and to apply the respective obligations to them," Ryabkov told reporters in response to a question whether Russia was conducting dialogue with the United States in regard to the mercenaries captured in Ukraine.

"As I understand, these persons remain under investigation, and the circumstances of their emergence in the combat zone and the role they played there will be identified," he said.

The factor of foreign mercenaries fighting for the Ukrainian Armed Forces and nationalistic battalions "is a key problem in the relations with the United States and other Western nations," Ryabkov said.

"We have repeatedly warned citizens of countries unfriendly towards Russia that they should abstain from adventurous plans of 'proving themselves on the battlefield' in Ukraine. Those who disregard such warnings bear the fruit of their misanthropy and unwillingness to perceive the reality that has developed in this region," he said.