The minister said Sri Lankan security agencies had previously learned that a local agent was recruiting mercenaries to fight on the side of Ukraine against Russia, the media said.
The newspaper said that three former Sri Lankan soldiers, including a former special forces officer, were killed on Monday near the city of Artemovsk (Bakhmut).
Nevertheless, the government cannot prevent its nationals from participating in the Ukraine conflict if they decide to leave the country, the report read, citing Sabry.