
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that Ukraine's efforts to recruit foreign mercenaries with higher pay and expanded benefits indicate serious problems in its forced mobilization campaign, citing the creation of a recruitment center for foreigners and stateless persons to staff the 'Liberty' 9th Separate Special Forces Detachment within the National Guard, and warned that such foreign legionnaire units on Ukrainian territory are legitimate military targets for Russian forces.
AI-generated summary
Ukraine has been conducting a forced mobilization campaign to replenish its armed forces amid ongoing conflict with Russia, facing challenges in meeting troop quotas through domestic conscription.
MOSCOW, September 30. /TASS/. Ukraine is placing high hopes on recruiting foreign mercenaries to replenish its armed forces, a move that points to what Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described as serious problems with the country’s forced mobilization campaign.
"Kiev officials are counting on replenishing the ranks of the Ukrainian army with foreign mercenaries, promising them higher pay and an expanded package of social and other benefits," she said. "All this points to catastrophic problems with the implementation of forced mobilization plans in Ukraine."
Zakharova also highlighted a recent announcement by Ukrainian Prime Minister Sergey Koretsky on the creation of a "recruitment center for foreigners and stateless persons for contract service" within the National Guard of Ukraine.
"It is obvious that this center is intended to staff the 'Liberty' 9th Separate Special Forces Detachment, recently formed within the National Guard, which accepts 'soldiers of fortune' recruited in various countries," Zakharova said.
"We would like to reiterate that any foreign legionnaire units on Ukrainian territory constitute a legitimate military target for the Russian Armed Forces," she added.
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Russia will increase military targeting of foreign legionnaire units in Ukraine
Likely · Within weeks

The head of the Israeli Ministry of Defense, Israel Katz, said that the incident with the hijacking of the Flydubai plane was an attempted jihadist terrorist attack, prevented by the actions of Israeli passengers who burst into the cockpit, neutralized the terrorist and transferred control to other pilots. He also repeated Netanyahu's words about the intention of one of the pilots to crash the plane.

Russia sent a diplomatic note to NATO warning of its readiness to use its entire arsenal, including nuclear weapons, if the alliance tries to isolate the Kaliningrad region. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed receipt of the letter, but said he saw no immediate threat of a nuclear strike. The Kremlin noted that in this way they are reminded of Russian documents regulating the nuclear response. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova added that European factories producing weapons for Ukraine can be considered military targets.

FlyDubai pilot Smith Machchhar, who during the flight repelled the attack of the co-pilot and prevented a possible sabotage attempt, is an Indian citizen, NDTV reports, citing sources. He was injured in a fight, has been working for FlyDubai for four years, and previously worked for SpiceJet for ten years.

On September 25, in the city of Vinh, Vietnam, lightning struck a 47-year-old woman riding a motorcycle during heavy rain. The incident was caught on camera video. The woman suffered a head injury and burns, but remained conscious and is under observation in hospital.

Flydubai pilot Smith Machchahar, who was injured by a shot from his partner during the flight, is an Indian citizen with more than 13 years of experience in civil aviation and over 9.7 thousand flight hours on a Boeing 737. After the incident, the plane was landed in Saudi Arabia by two passenger pilots on board.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said Ukraine's Armed Forces were facing a shortage of personnel, emphasizing that people, not ammunition, played a decisive role in war, and called for negotiations with Russia instead of discussing its actions.