OREANDA-NEWS Moscow is aware of the participation of Swedish mercenaries in the fighting on the side of Kiev. This is stated in the message of the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova.

Earlier, the Swedish Foreign Ministry acknowledged that Stockholm does not prohibit the recruitment of its citizens by the Ukrainian embassy, since this does not contradict international law.

The Russian Foreign Ministry called these statements an attempt to "clumsily legitimize" the mercenaries and the actual incitement of the Swedes to travel to the "hot zone" in Ukraine.

Zakharova noted that the recruitment of Swedes is most likely conducted by the Ukrainian diplomatic mission in Stockholm, and through various channels.

The Foreign Ministry also cited data from the Russian Defense Ministry, according to which up to 90 Swedish mercenaries were in Ukraine, 25 of whom have already been destroyed.

"The authorities of foreign countries should know this and be responsible for their fate," concluded the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.