Andrii Pasternak, head of the Joint Center for Coordinating the Search for and Release of Prisoners of War and Illegally Detained Persons as a Result of Aggression Against Ukraine under the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), said this at a press conference at Ukrinform.

"We are aware of such battalions. Together with our colleagues from the Foreign Intelligence Service and military intelligence, we are monitoring and documenting these cases. Such facts do exist," Pasternak said.

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Media reports have previously said that Russia is using Ukrainian prisoners of war to form combat units.