Peru presses Russia over nationals fighting in Ukraine

Peru's Foreign Minister Carlos Espa confronted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on Monday over the recruitment of Peruvians to fight in Ukraine and asked for help retrieving the bodies of those killed in the conflict.

Espa said at least 459 Peruvians had been identified as fighting in Ukraine. He said his visit was aimed at advancing political, humanitarian and consular measures to obtain timely information on their situation and whereabouts.

Espa said he hoped Moscow would facilitate access to wounded Peruvians and speed procedures for repatriating those who had died.

Several countries have demanded that Russia return the bodies of foreign fighters and stop recruiting their citizens. Russia has offered high salaries to fight in Ukraine, and South American fighters have been present on both sides of the war.

Last month, Colombia said more than 250 of its nationals had died in Ukraine and almost 1,000 had disappeared while fighting there.