German Interior Ministry reports that 61 German citizens are serving on active duty in Ukraine

According to the German Ministry of the Interior, 61 German citizens have "extremist views or links to politically motivated criminal offences".

This was the response provided by the German Interior Ministry to the Welt am Sonntag newspaper.

39 German citizens are suspected of having left the country with the intention of taking part in hostilities. Of these, 27 are fighting on the side of Russia and 12 on the side of Ukraine.

There are both right-wing and left-wing extremists among German citizens. Most of them are exposed to "the influence of foreign ideologies," according to the ministry. However, it is impossible to establish more specific facts about their affiliation with certain political groups and movements, the newspaper quoted.