On October 4, during a meeting of the Council of Heads of Security Agencies and Special Services of the CIS in Astana, Alexander Bortnikov, Director of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), claimed that 18,000 mercenaries from 85 countries are fighting against Russia as part of the "International Legion" of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Bortnikov underscored that these mercenaries originate from a wide range of countries, including former Soviet republics, with Polish, French, and Georgian fighters being particularly prominent among them. He also claimed a recent surge in mercenaries from Latin American nations joining Ukraine's military ranks.

According to Bortnikov, foreign fighters receive specialized training at NATO-run training centers and camps located in Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania. "In most cases, the recruitment of these individuals is conducted through Ukrainian diplomatic missions abroad," Bortnikov added.

He went on to emphasize that the growing influx of foreign fighters into Ukraine reflects the West's intent to escalate the conflict rather than seek peaceful resolutions. 

Turning to the South Caucasus, Bortnikov claimed that Western actions are deliberately delaying peace processes in the region while conducting reconnaissance against Russia. He accused the US and European nations of attempting to deploy NATO forces in the South Caucasus under the guise of a UN peacekeeping mission. Bortnikov also pointed to a current EU observer mission in Armenia near the Azerbaijani border, accusing it of conducting intelligence activities for a specific NATO country against Russia and its regional allies.