Russian security service releases photos of semi-naked corpses it claims are NATO 'saboteurs'

Russia has released photos of semi-naked corpses of North American and European soldiers it claims were who were attempting to invade the country.

Video from FSB showed the men and military equipment captured after the alleged invasion bid was “thwarted”. Russia claimed they found items from the team members’ home countries - , Poland, and the US - among their belongings and weapons.

The FSB said in a statement: “Four saboteurs were eliminated, while the remaining members of the retreating group were hit by a missile and artillery strike and suffered losses.

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“Foreign-made weapons, outfits, communication devices, as well as personal items indicating their belonging to third countries - a Canadian flag, a prayer book in Polish, a notebook with notes on tactical training in English - were discovered on the eliminated [saboteurs]. A tattoo of the second battalion of the 75th Ranger Regiment [of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command] was discovered on the body of one of those killed.”

Earlier Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed: “According to our law enforcement data, US, Polish and Canadian citizens were among the mercenaries rendered safe in the Bryansk region.”

Bryansk region governor Alexander Bogomaz on Sunday said an attempt by a group of armed assailants to break through the Russian state border had been thwarted. This was near the settlement of Manev in the Klimovo district, he said.

He claimed they were attacked by the Russian FSB Border Guard troops, along with units of the Russian Armed Forces and the Russian National Guard. has frequently claimed that Western fighters - either from NATO member states or mercenaries - are operating in .

Over the weekend said he will "react accordingly" if the West gives the go-ahead for to strike using long-range missiles with military chiefs drawing up plans for a response. The Kremlin dictator confirmed he would regard such an attack as an act of war by .

Putin said: “Our military department is thinking about this and will offer various options.” Putin was asked by a journalist whether the West had taken on board his earlier warning that such use of British, French or American missiles would be seen as the West declaring war on . His favourite interviewer Pavel Zarubin posed the question: “In your opinion, did they hear your words, your signals?”

Putin responded: “They didn’t tell me anything about this, but I hope they heard, because, of course, we will have to make some decisions for ourselves too. The point is not whether someone will be allowed or not allowed to use this weapon against Russia….. Ukrainian troops cannot use these weapons on their own.”