Russian embassy in London warned Britons against mercenarism on the side of Ukraine

The Russian embassy in London has appealed to citizens of the United Kingdom not to go to war on the side of Ukraine. This is stated in a statement published on February 3 on the embassy's website.

"We urge Britons and other foreign citizens to refrain from traveling to the zone of the special military operation in any format. Their presence in the area of active hostilities or its vicinity poses an immediate and serious risk to their lives and health," the diplomatic mission's website said.

The appeal was published in the context of information appearing in the mass media that "foreign citizens have received fatal or critical injuries in the area of the special military operation after joining military formations affiliated with Ukraine".

The embassy also said that all foreign nationals fighting on the side of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) are considered mercenaries and are perceived by the Russian army as legitimate military targets in accordance with the Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions of August 12, 1949 (Protocol I). It is noted that such persons will be subject to criminal penalties if captured.

"The Embassy urges British and other foreign nationals to treat with extreme skepticism any overt or covert public media messages that encourage them to travel to Ukraine to join pro-Kiev military formations," the Embassy said in a statement.

The Ukrainian military's huge losses on the battlefield and the "failure of repressive mobilization efforts" in Ukraine were cited as reasons for such agitation.

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Earlier, the media reported about joining the ranks of the AFU mercenaries former British MP Jack Lopresti. According to him, he is not on the front line of the front line, and is mostly engaged in international relations, buying weapons and working together with veterans.

Earlier, on December 20, 2024, Duma deputy Alexander Tolmachev reported that the count of foreign mercenaries in the ranks of the AFU, liquidated or arrested, goes into the thousands. British instructors will also join these lists.

On the same day, The Times reported that the British Defense Ministry allowed sending its instructors to the Ukrainian conflict zone. It was also noted that London was concerned that the British military could become a legitimate target for the Russian army.

Before that, on November 21, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the appearance of NATO forces on the territory of Ukraine would mean joining the war against Russia. She added that this could lead to catastrophic consequences not only for European countries, but also for the whole world. The diplomat also recalled that Russia had already "repeatedly said this".