Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday alleged that foreign mercenaries from nations such as China, Pakistan, and some African countries are now fighting with Russian soldiers in northeastern Ukraine. His claim is after media reports of North Korean soldiers also being seen on the frontlines.
"During conversations with commanders regarding the situation on the front line, especially in Vovchansk, we discussed combat dynamics, defense strategies, the use of drones, recruitment, and direct financing for military brigades," Zelensky said.
He also claimed, "The troops on this front have observed involvement of Chinese, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistani, and African mercenaries in the conflict. We will give a befitting reply." His statement was given in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
It is not the first time Zelensky has accused Russian forces of having foreign nationals. He reported earlier this year that more than 100 Chinese nationals were found among Russian troops, with over 150 reportedly spotted near the front. Two of them, he said, were apprehended in the Donetsk region.
Ukraine's president also posted video clips that he said captured the interrogation of the two Chinese fighters, and photographs of what looked like their passports.
Earlier in the day, Zelensky inspected the Kharkiv frontline, where he greeted soldiers of the 92nd Separate Assault Brigade named after Ivan Sirko. "The fighters are defending a tough sector of the front – Lyptsi," he wrote in another message on X.
In his frontline trip, Zelensky underscored talks on troops' readiness, training, morale, and seeing to it that essentials reach combat areas.
He also spoke of a digital system of tracking to document battlefield successes. "We talked about good reviews for the electronic system for tracking points for the destruction of the occupiers and their hardware," he added, reassuring soldiers that all issues brought up would be looked at quickly.
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