Russia-Ukraine war: Zelenskyy warns as Russia gets support from China and Pakistan, accuses of Putin of...
The Russia-Ukraine war is far from over. Even after US President's attempt to initiate a truce, there has been no breakthrough. Moreover, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a big claim that Ukrainian soldiers in the north-eastern part of his country are facing foreign 'mercenaries' fighting on behalf of Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said these soldiers include people from China, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and parts of Africa. Zelenskyy has talked about giving a tough response in this matter. His statements came after visiting a frontline area in the Kharkiv region, where he met with soldiers and commanders of the 57th Separate Motorised Infantry Brigade.
'We discussed with the commanders the situation on the frontline, the defence of Vavchansk and the latest combat developments. Our servicemen in this area reported that mercenaries from China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan and African countries are taking part in the fighting. We will respond to this,' he wrote on the social media platform X.
Why is Russia recruiting Chinese fighters?
Zelenskyy had earlier accused Russia of recruiting Chinese fighters, which Beijing flatly rejected. Apart from this, North Korea has also sent thousands of troops to Russia's Kursk region. Reuters contacted the embassies of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan for comment on the matter, but there has been no official statement yet. Russia has also not made any immediate public comment on these claims of Zelenskyy.
Is China silently helping Russia?
According to Ukrainian military and intelligence sources, foreign mercenaries are operating under Russian private military companies such as the Wagner Group or new units affiliated with the Russian Defense Ministry. These groups are known to recruit fighters from economically weak or politically unstable regions, particularly Africa and Asia. Ukrainian authorities claim that evidence obtained on the battlefield, such as seized documents, confirms the presence of foreign fighters from various countries.
What is China saying?
Earlier this year, Zelenskyy claimed that Russia had deployed more than 100 Chinese citizens in the war against Ukraine. He also said that two Chinese fighters were captured in the Donetsk region. Zelenskyy also shared a video, which allegedly contained interrogation footage of these two Chinese fighters and photos of their passports. However, China rejected these claims as 'baseless' and said that it gives strict instructions to its citizens to prevent them from getting involved in armed conflicts.
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