Romania’s Defense Minister Vasile Dâncu on Monday rejected claims by Russia that it is sending mercenaries to fight in the war in Ukraine calling it ‘propaganda’ out of the Russian playbook.
” We do not have (any) Romanian citizens who have crossed from Romania to Ukraine during this period,” he said, according to News.ro, adding Romania kept border crossing data records.
„It is propaganda… Russia is trying to show it has very accurate data,” by providing exact figures he told Digi24.
He added that it was an attempt by Moscow to „show that it is a global coalition against Russia, that is why they are not succeeding in Ukraine”, but also to give „the feeling of accuracy,” by providing exact numbers.
„It is false information. We e cannot verify which citizens arrive in these areas, both on the Russian side and on the Ukrainian side… The Russians… brought in Chechen mercenaries and appealed to African countries or to those who support them for this.”
“Russia is trying to show that their war is one against everyone and that they are victims,” he added.
Russia’s defense ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov claimed Sunday that 6,824 foreign mercenaries were operating in Ukraine from 63 countries including 1,571 Romanians, TASS reported.
It claimed that up to 300 people may have arrived from Britain and Georgia, and 190 people may have come from parts of Syria that are controlled by Turkey.
It did not present any evidence for the allegations made.
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