THE head of the Russian parliament’s defence committee said today that MPs are working on a new Bill to regulate private military companies, following reports that an unknown number of Russian mercenaries were killed by US bombing in Syria.

Vladimir Shamanov said the state needed to step in to oversee war profiteers.

Russian media reported that at least four Russian mercenaries were among pro-government forces in Syria that advanced on oil fields in the eastern Deir el-Zour province and were targeted by a devastating hours-long bombardment by the United States on February 7.

The several-hundred-strong force was attacked for more than three hours by US jets, heavy bombers, helicopters and drones as well as artillery, rockets and mortar fire.

Moscow and Washington insist that they have no information on Russian casualties.

Communist MP Valery Rashkin said that while there were doubts about some reports — being first published in anti-Russian Ukrainian outlets — “it would be wrong to simply ignore them.”