In the Russian media and occupational telegram channels, reports are spreading that allegedly Ukraine is massively bringing foreign mercenaries to Kharkov. The reports refer to “military expert” Andrii Marochko and the so-called “Luhansk intelligence”. They write that allegedly all the mercenaries are dressed in civilian clothes, but they have the same army-type backpacks with them. These people allegedly speak English, German, French and Polish. Also in the messages they write that under the guise of “mercenaries”, military personnel of other states come to Kharkiv. It's fake.

There is no evidence to support such reports. The fact-checkers of the Kharkiv anti-corruption center drew attention to the spread of the fake. Foreigners who have signed the relevant contract are servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Otherwise, foreigners fight as volunteers, that is, they do not receive any financial reward from Ukraine. Russia uses the term “mercenaries” to substitute concepts.

Also, Russian propaganda systematically feeds the narrative that military personnel of other states are fighting in Ukraine. Recently, propagandists wrote that the military from the EU countries fought on the territory of Ukraine even before the full-scale invasion; Western countries are allegedly sending soldiers to Ukraine with weapons. Thus, Russian propaganda is also trying to justify the failures of the Russian army, in particular during the liberation of the Kharkiv region. Like, they are fighting not with “weak” Ukrainians, but with “specially trained NATO members” or Americans.