Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the UN General Assembly on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin had enlisted fighters from 47 countries including North Korea, Ghana and India to fight against Ukraine. Zelensky also warned that his forces could target Russian heating and energy facilities in the winter months if Moscow continues to attack Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin of using third-country fighters from 47 countries to prosecute Moscow's war against Ukraine.
Read moreUN live: 'Russia will never stop,' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tells General Assembly
Highlighting Russia's growing defence relationship with North Korea, Zelensky also said that two North Korean troops deployed to fight against Ukraine had been captured and sent to South Korea.
"Putin is always looking for someone who can help him kill more, kill more people for every kilometre of land, take more territory and take another country instead of simply stopping and running his own country," Zelensky said at the UN.
"We know that Russia uses citizens of 47 countries in its war," he added, pointing to citizens of countries from Ghana, Nepal, and India who had been caught up in the conflict.
"Recently, we sent two North Korean prisoners of war to the Republic of Korea. These guys are not easy to capture alive," he added.
Zelensky also touted the deals on drone technology that Kyiv, now a world leader in the field, had struck with allies.
"We are already working with partners in the Gulf, the South Caucasus, and across Europe through drone deals. Today, I signed a drone deal, a serious drone deal, with Finland," he said.
"Also today, I signed (a) security agreement with Australia, and drones are part of it too."
Zelensky added that Kyiv was also preparing a drone deal with Canada.
The Ukrainian president warned that this winter his forces could seek to target Russian heating and energy facilities to use the region's bitter frost against Russia. Moscow has targeted Ukraine's civilian heating and fuel infrastructure since the start of the conflict, weaponising the region's brutally cold winters.
"Ukrainians understand that this winter could be very harsh for us, but in response we will have no choice but to make it painful for Russia too," he said.
Zelensky's defiant message to Moscow came just hours after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed Washington was pushing for Russia and Ukraine to cease attacks on each other's energy infrastructure.
Zelensky also insisted that it was not Ukraine's goal to destroy Russia's supplies of gasoline and diesel, but rather to deprive Moscow of the main source of revenue for its war machine.
"When someone gives Russia more money through trade, they give this war more time. That is exactly why we insist on limiting trade with the aggressor, and why we are burning Russia's revenues ourselves," he said.
"The longer Putin is able to wage war, the more evil he will leave behind in this world."
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
