KUALA LUMPUR: Police have not received any information on Malaysians allegedly recruited as mercenaries alongside Russian forcers in military operations in the Donetsk region in Eastern Ukraine.
Home Ministry, in a parliamentary written reply yesterday, said Malaysians must always be cautious when receiving information.
"Always check the actual facts against the information being disseminated, especially on social media," read the reply.
The ministry was responding to a question from Lim Lip Eng (PH-Kepong) on the allegations of Malaysian citizens serving as mercenaries for Russia in the eastern Ukraine region, Donetsk.
On Jan 25, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said the police have not yet identified any Malaysians involved.
He said the federal police Special Branch Division has conducted further investigations with cooperation of its European counterparts and not received any information about Malaysian citizens being hired as soldiers in any country, including Ukraine, as reported.
Previously, the Ukraine National Resistance Centre revealed that Malaysians have been implicated in joining Russia as mercenaries during its nearly two-year invasion of Ukraine.
It said the fighters are currently undergoing training at the designated ground.
Malaysian mercenaries were reported to be accompanied by a translator and a former 'Wagner' member was identified in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine.