The India Russia Ukraine War has drawn citizens from several countries into Russian military units, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said while addressing the United Nations General Assembly. He said Russia has recruited people from 47 countries to fight in Ukraine, including India, Nepal, Ghana, Cuba and Zimbabwe.
According to Zelenskyy, the other nations mentioned in his remark were Yemen, Kenya, Belarus, Sudan, South Africa, and Tajikistan. He urged nations to safeguard their nationals and probe the networks that recruited foreigners into the battle.
India Russia Ukraine War and Foreign Recruitment
According to Zelenskyy, Russia has utilised financial incentives, false employment promises, and trafficking networks to entice foreign nationals. He stated that some persons travelled to Russia after being given civilian jobs, education, or other prospects, but were then persuaded to join the Russian military.
Some applicants were apparently promised positions in construction, security, logistics, and transportation. Ukraine has previously accused Russia of targeting people in nations where financial hardships may make such proposals appealing.
Zelenskyy made a direct plea to representatives of the 47 nations. He encouraged them to investigate what had happened to their countrymen and take action to safeguard them.
Reports of Foreigners Being Sent to Ukraine
Amnesty International has also reported examples of foreign people recruited by Russia. The study comprised participants from Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, and Sri Lanka.
#WATCH | Addressing the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says, "We know that Russia uses citizens of 47 countries in its war. Ghana, Nepal, Tajikistan, India, Yemen, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Cuba, Belarus, Sudan, South Africa, many… pic.twitter.com/CTrD0WlO6y
— ANI (@ANI) September 23, 2026
The organization alleged that some recruits were coerced into signing military contracts. In other cases, their passports and phones were purportedly confiscated, while others were deployed to conflict zones with no military training.
According to Amnesty, migrants’ financial or legal situations might be utilised to exert pressure on them. These claims have raised worries about how foreign people are recruited into the Russian military.
India Among Countries Named by Zelenskyy
Zelenskyy said that citizens from India had been recruited to fight for Russia. Indian people have previously been identified as international recruits, with some claiming they were mislead about the opportunities offered in Russia.
The problem has also raised concerns in other countries. Ghana, for example, ordered Russia to cease recruiting its people after its foreign minister reported that 62 Ghanaians had been slain in Ukraine and 15 were still missing.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that some Ghanaians have joined the Russian military for financial motives. He also stated that Russia has devised a framework to investigate situations involving foreign recruitment.
Zelenskyy also mentioned Russia’s military cooperation with other countries, notably North Korea. He stated that North Korean troops had been dispatched to help Russian forces.
Ukraine is now requesting states whose people were recruited to look into the recruiting networks. It has also urged for steps to repatriate foreign nationals and take action against those who help send them to the war.
