Russia Claims it Eliminated Former Blackwater Mercs and Azov Fighters in Ukraine

Russian news site Lenta claims Russia has eliminated mercenaries fighting for US Private Military Company (PMC) Academi (former Blackwater) and “Kraken” irregulars attached to the far-right Azov Regiment in the Kherson offensive (Gateway Pundit reported). If true, this may explain why the Ukrainian counteroffensive seems to have stalled.

The strikes were announced by Russian Ministry of Defense spokesman, Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov, Lenta reported:

“Russian aviation and artillery hit three Ukrainian control points in Kharkiv and Zaporozhye regions, as well as in the city of Seversk, DPR. In addition, the point of control and coordination of Primorye missile strikes in the Nikolaev region and the bases of foreign mercenaries of the American PMC and Kraken fighters in the region of Kramatorsk and Nikolevka were eliminated.

As a result, as noted, 47 artillery units, manpower and military equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 127 districts were hit. An ammunition depot of the 14th mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was also laid out in the Kharkov region – it contained more than 7.5 thousand shells for Western artillery systems. The Ministry of Defense reported that the ammunition depot of the 128th brigade near the village of Dolinka in the Zaporozhye region has also been liquidated.

Earlier it also became known that the Russian military liquidated more than 50 fighters of the Kraken battalion near Kharkov. According to Konashenkov, on Saturday, September 17, during a special operation, more than ten units of special equipment were also destroyed by high-precision strikes of the Aerospace Forces. In addition, two brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were hit – the 92nd mechanized and the 81st airmobile.”

Video shared by Russian “60 Minutes” seemed to show American-speaking mercs operating in the Kerson Offensive.Gateway Pundit has reached out to Academi for comment.

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