Ukrainian MFA denies reports of Ukrainian mercenaries detained in Venezuela
Photo: Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Heorhii Tykhyi (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine denies the detention of Ukrainian citizens in Venezuela. Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi states that no factual confirmation has been provided.
"Our diplomatic mission contacted the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Venezuela, who informed us that he does not have information regarding the detainees' Ukrainian citizenship. The Venezuelan side has not provided factual confirmation," Tykhyi emphasized.
The spokesperson believes that the claims of alleged detentions of Ukrainian militants could be an exaggeration by Venezuela's leader Nicolás Maduro.
Tykhyi reminded that Ukraine does not recognize the elections in Venezuela or Maduro as the president. According to him, this distorts the will of the Venezuelan people.
Background
On January 8, the EFE agency reported the alleged detention of seven foreign mercenaries in Venezuela. According to the country's leader Nicolás Maduro, among the detainees were supposedly two US citizens, two Colombians, and three Ukrainians.
Maduro claimed that the mercenaries were allegedly planning terrorist acts ahead of his inauguration. He also accused the Argentine government of being involved in planning an attack on the vice president.
