Lieutenant General Apti Alaudinov, commander of the Akhmat special forces, stated that the number of foreign mercenaries fighting on the side of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has significantly decreased. According to him, many of these fighters have realized that taking part in hostilities on Russian territory is not a «safari," but a deadly confrontation with a professional army.

Alaudinov explained that in the past, a considerable number of foreign combatants had been concentrated in the Kursk region, when Ukrainian forces launched incursions into the area last year. He said that the operation involved substantial manpower and resources, including mercenaries from various countries.

Among them, he noted, were citizens of Poland, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Most of these fighters, according to the general, were eliminated during the fighting.

The Akhmat commander added that foreign combatants are now far more cautious about participating in the conflict, fearing for their own lives. Many of those who once viewed the war as an adventure, he said, have quickly changed their attitude after facing the harsh reality on the battlefield.

Alaudinov remarked that the so-called «hotheads» who once came expecting an easy fight have learned the hard way that engaging Russian forces is far from a game — and that leaving the battlefield alive is not guaranteed.