Several dozen citizens of Serbia are members of illegal armed groups in Ukraine and Syria, the prosecutor's office of Belgrade is considering a total of 45 cases against mercenaries, according to the local newspaper Politika.

"The mercenaries from Serbia went to Ukraine, where they fought on the side of the pro-Russian forces in the east of this country, but also to Syria, where these people, mainly from Novi Pazar and outskirts, fought on the side of the Islamic state. Only a few dozen fighters remained in Ukraine and Syria," the publication said.

According to the representative of the Belgrade Prosecutor's Office Tatyana Sekulich, in relation to mercenaries, cases are opened with a view to criminal prosecution in connection with a war or an armed conflict in a foreign country in accordance with Article 386 of the Criminal Code of Serbia.

She also informed the publication that last year the prosecution entered into an agreement with 24 individuals on confessing guilt. Earlier, the representative of the Supreme Court in Belgrade, Boyana Stankovic, said that a total of 28 people who had taken part in hostilities abroad were found guilty, and another decision was made against a person who was denied an agreement on the recognition of a criminal offense.

The publication reminds that in October 2014 Serbia adopted amendments to the Criminal Code providing for imprisonment for up to ten years for all those who participate in military operations abroad or organize and recruit citizens of Serbia for this.