Ukraine says foreign ‘mercenaries’ from various countries aiding Russia

Moscow already helped by Pyongyang; Zelenskyy says fighters from China, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and African besides connected board.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that his country’s troops successful the northeast are battling overseas “mercenaries” recruited by Russia from assorted countries, vowing to “respond”.

The Ukrainian president visited front-line troops successful the Kharkiv region connected Monday, proceeding reports from his “warriors” that fighters from China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and African countries were connected committee with Russia.

Russia is already known to person been assisted by thousands of North Korean troops successful the defence of its Kursk region, and Ukraine had already accused Moscow of recruiting Chinese fighters – a complaint denied by Beijing.

At the clip of reporting, determination was nary remark from the further countries accused by Zelenskyy of joining Russia’s warfare effort.

Reporting from Kyiv, Al Jazeera’s Charles Stratford said determination was nary mode of verifying Zelenskyy’s claims.

Conversely, helium added, “lots of overseas fighters” had besides volunteered to combat for Ukraine and were inactive connected the beforehand lines.

Zelenskyy had met front-line fighters with Ukraine’s 17th Separate Motorised Infantry Battalion of the 57th Brigade adjacent the front-line municipality of Vovchansk.

He said successful a station successful X that helium had held discussions with commanders connected “the frontline situation, the defence of Vovchansk, and the dynamics of the battles”, and was besides looking astatine “drone proviso and deployment, recruitment, and nonstop backing for the brigades”.

As Ukraine battled to repel Russian forces successful the Kharkiv region, its troops were besides engaged successful “ongoing dense fighting” astir the municipality of Pokrovsk successful the Donetsk region, said Stratford.

As warring has continued, Russian and Ukrainian officials person held respective meetings successful caller months successful Istanbul, Turkiye.

The latest gathering secured an statement to speech 1,200 prisoners, Zelenskyy announced connected Sunday.

That day, United States President Donald Trump said his peculiar envoy Steve Witkoff would alert to Russia to proceed talks connected the warfare successful Ukraine.

On Monday, Russian authorities quality bureau TASS cited sources saying the sojourn would instrumentality spot connected Wednesday.

Trump has threatened to enforce “very terrible tariffs” connected Russia if it fails to scope a ceasefire woody with Ukraine soon, precocious shortening his archetypal deadline of 50 days to wrong 10-12 days.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies