MOSCOW – About 300 men working for a Kremlin-linked Russian privatemilitary firm were either killed or injured in Syria last week, accordingto three sources familiar with the matter.

A Russian military doctor said around 100 had been killed, and a source whoknows several of the fighters said the death toll was in excess of 80 men.

The timing of the casualties coincided with a battle on Feb. 7 near theSyrian city of Deir al-Zor where, according to U.S. officials andassociates of the fighters involved, U.S.-led coalition forces attackedforces aligned with Moscow’s ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Russian officials said five citizens may have been killed but they had norelation to Russia’s armed forces.