Russian investigators yesterday charged that volunteers from the United States and a number of other countries fought on the side of Georgia in its war against Russia.

Russian news agencies reported that Aleksandr Bastyrkin, chairman of an investigative committee with the Russian prosecutor's office, said the mercenaries included nationals of the US, Ukraine, the Czech Republic and Turkey.

Russian officials have previously accused the US and Ukraine of sending servicemen to take part in the fighting in August - claims both countries have denied.