Putin denies sending mercenaries to Libya

MOSCOW, Jan 11 (MENA) - President Vladimir Putin denied sending mercenaries to Libya, suggesting that any Russians involved in fighting to unseat the country’s UN-recognized government are there on their own.

During a press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Moscow on Saturday, Putin said: "Even if there are any Russian citizens there, they don’t represent the interests of the Russian government .. And they don’t get money from the Russian government," Bloomberg reported.

For her part, Merkel said she "does not agree with the US approach" of imposing sanctions, which have already been decried by the German government for impinging on national sovereignty, according to Deutsche Welle.

She added that "despite the sanctions it will be possible to complete Nord Stream 2... There is a certain delay but it will be completed."