During a recent press conference, Petro Yatsenko, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s prisoner-of-war treatment headquarters, highlighted Ukraine’s capture of several foreign nationals fighting for Russia, including individuals from Nepal, Cuba, Somalia, and Sierra Leone. These captures reflect Russia’s strategy of recruiting foreign fighters from economically vulnerable countries to supplement its forces in the ongoing conflict against Ukraine.
Yatsenko addressed the legal intricacies concerning the status of mercenaries under international law, noting that the Geneva Conventions exclude mercenaries from being recognized as lawful combatants or prisoners of war. Despite this, Ukraine has committed to treating these individuals according to the humanitarian standards set forth by the Geneva Conventions. This includes providing three meals a day, necessary medical care, and ensuring humane treatment while the detainees await trial.
The announcement comes in the wake of the capture of a mercenary from Sierra Leone by the 46th Airmobile Brigade of Ukraine, reported in February 2024. The capture took place in the Mariinka area.
⚡️🇺🇦Ukrainian soldiers from the 46th separate airmobile brigade captured a 🇷🇺Russian mercenary from Sierra Leone near Maryinka. pic.twitter.com/LSiIQT7IWY
— 🇺🇦Ukrainian Front (@front_ukrainian) February 11, 2024
