Zelenskyy Urges World Leaders at UN to Block Moscow From Using Their Citizens in Ukraine Conflict

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the United Nations General Assembly that Russia is deploying citizens from forty-seven nations in its ongoing military campaign against Ukraine. Speaking at the global forum, Zelenskyy urged governments worldwide to protect their people from being pulled into the conflict through what he termed deception and tricks. He specifically mentioned countries including India, Ghana, Nepal, Tajikistan, Yemen, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Cuba, Belarus, Sudan, and South Africa as sources of these foreign fighters. Zelenskyy did not offer a detailed country-by-country breakdown or state exact figures for each nation. He noted that Ukrainian forces have witnessed foreign nationals dying on the battlefield and added that Kyiv has received requests concerning prisoners of war from several affected governments. The remarks bring renewed attention to India's ongoing diplomatic efforts regarding Indian nationals serving within the Russian military. New Delhi has previously stated that hundreds of its citizens were recruited into the Russian armed forces and that dozens have lost their lives. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri reported during a Ministry of External Affairs briefing on September first that authorities had information on two hundred twenty-seven recruited Indians. Out of that total, one hundred thirty-nine individuals have been discharged while fifty-one have died, with remaining cases actively pursued through the Indian embassy in Moscow.