Russia’s Defense Ministry on Monday claimed that its fighters had killed “seven British mercenaries” during the capture of a stronghold held by the Ukrainian armed forces. Moscow said six of its troops conducted the lethal operation in a “forest area”—though its not clear where or when the supposed battle took place. In a statement, the Defense Ministry said the soldiers were provided information from Russian intelligence officers using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to locate “the enemy’s stronghold.” “After that, soldiers from the assault detachment, under covering fire from tanks, made it through more than 500 meters of a mined area and crawled up to the enemy positions, where a fierce battle ensued,” the statement read. “The fighters, using a large number of F-1 grenades and small arms, destroyed a group of seven British mercenaries and captured the stronghold of the Ukrainian armed forces.” The ministry also released video footage appearing to show the battle, during which several Russian soldiers were allegedly wounded. The Daily Beast has contacted the British Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office for comment.
