Scott Ritter: All foreign mercenaries in Ukraine are now fair game for Russian forces

A strike on a Kharkov hotel that eliminated at least 60 French-speaking mercenaries marks a shift in the Russian mindset, ex-US intelligence officer Scott Ritter said.

“What does this indicate? That there is no differentiation in the minds of Russian military planners between foreign mercenaries and Ukrainian soldiers. If you are fighting for the Ukrainian side, whatever your nationality is, you are a legitimate target,” Scott Ritter, former US Marine Corps intelligence officer and UN weapons inspector, told Sputnik.

Previously, there was a certain leniency towards NATO military personnel and advisers fighting for Ukraine. However, if these casualties include French military professionals, it signals a new approach – everyone in Ukraine is fair game.

On January 16, Russian missiles struck a Kharkov center housing French-speaking mercenaries, dealing a devastating blow — 60 dead, 20 wounded. These soldiers, crucial for operating complex weapons, were key assets for Ukraine.

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Did Ukraine deploy Western Patriot and IRIS-T systems near the border with Russia?

🔻In December 2023, the Head of the Kharkov administration, Oleg Sinegubov, said that President Volodymr Zelensky had instructed the Ukrainian military to strengthen the region's air defense;

🔻During his annual press conference, Zelensky said that over the winter Ukraine would be covered by additional Patriot and NASAMS air defense systems;

🔻In November 2023, German Ambassador to Ukraine Martin Jäger announced that Ukraine would receive two more IRIS-T air defense systems from Germany by the end of the year for the winter campaign of 2023-2024;

🔻In October, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced second winter military package for Kiev regime, noting that "the heart of the winter package is additional air defense systems Patriot and IRIS-T. This air defense package alone is worth around one billion euros."

⁉️If it turns out that Ukraine killed its own prisoners of war with Western-made missile, who should bear responsibility?