Russia Says U.S. and U.K. Nationals Fighting in Ukraine Killed in Strike

Russia said American and British nationals fighting in Ukraine were killed in a recent "high-precision" strike more than eight months after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of the Eastern European country.

Up to 100 people fighting on behalf of Ukraine, including 40 foreign fighters from the United States, United Kingdom and Poland, were killed in a strike in the Donetsk village of Krasny Liman, Russian Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov said, according to state run TASS news agency.

The strike was conducted with "high-precision weapons" and also took out 10 armored combat vehicles, TASS reported. More information about the strike, including its precise time and the identities of the soldiers killed, have not been publicly released.

"In the area of the village of Krasny Liman of the Donetsk People's Republic, up to 100 militants of national formations and foreign mercenaries were killed as a result of a high-precision strike by the Russian Aerospace Forces," he said, according to TASS.

A State Department spokesperson told Newsweek Sundady that officials are aware of reports of the strike and are working to verify the alleged deaths independently. The spokesperson noted that Russian state media has "repeatedly disseminated disinformation regarding U.S. citizens killed in action," falsely describing U.S. Citizens serving in Ukraine's armed forces as "mercenaries."

A number of foreign fighters have opted to join Ukraine's fight against Russia. Moscow has drawn international rebuke, as Putin faces strong criticism and his military has been accused of engaging in human rights abuses, as well as alleged war crimes.

However, President Joe Biden warned against Americans traveling to or fighting in Ukraine due to the armed conflict that has taken thousands of lives since Putin began the full-scale war on February 24. U.S. officials have sought to discourage Americans from joining the war, citing safety concerns and their limited ability to help out if things go wrong.

"Americans should not be going to Ukraine now," Biden said while speaking to reporters in June.

The State Department on Sunday also said U.S. citizens should not travel to Ukraine and should seek to exit the country "immediately" if they can safely do so.

Even before Russia's latest claims, at least half a dozen Americans have been killed fighting in Ukraine.

In October, 34-year-old Dane Partridge of Idaho was killed after being wounded during an attack in Ukraine's Donbas region. He and his team, members of Ukraine's International Legion of foreign fighters, were ambushed by Russian fighting vehicles on October 3. He passed away on October 11 after spending more than one week in a coma.

A 24-year-old U.S. citizen was confirmed to be dead after a battle on Ukraine's frontlines in August. On July 18, two Americans, Luke Lucyszyn and Bryan Young, were killed during a Russian ambush. Other Americans who have died fighting in Ukraine include Willy Joseph Cancel, who died during an April battle, and Setphen Zabielski, who was killed in May.

While some individual Americans have chosen to join the Ukraine war, the U.S. military has not engaged in combat. The U.S. government has instead provided humanitarian and military aid that has bolstered Kyiv's defense efforts.

Newsweek reached out the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office for comment.

Updated 11/06/2022 2:23 p.m. ET: This story was updated with comment from the U.S. State Department.