‘Protect your citizens, don’t let Putin drag you into war’; Ukrainian President warns countries including India

NEW YORK: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has levelled a serious allegation that Russia used citizens of several countries, including India, in its war against Ukraine. He warned these countries not to allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to drag them into the conflict. Zelenskyy was addressing the United Nations General Assembly.
‘Now, I am not speaking to Europe. I am speaking to countries whose citizens Russia may try to use in another extremely brutal campaign. Ukraine is holding prisoners from many countries, not just North Korea,’ he said.

Zelenskyy added that citizens of 47 countries, including North Korea, India, Nepal, Ghana, Tajikistan, Yemen, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Cuba, Sudan, South Africa and Belarus, were involved in the war. He said that citizens from these countries had been brought to Russia through deception and fraud.

He said these countries were aware of what Russia was doing to their citizens and urged them to protect their people from being drawn into another front in the war.
Zelenskyy also expressed gratitude to the countries that have stood with Ukraine in its war against Russia and supported its people.

Meantime, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated earlier this month that India and Russia had discussed the recruitment of Indian citizens into the Russian armed forces. According to the latest figures, India had received information about 227 Indian citizens recruited into the Russian military. Of these, Russia had sent back 139 people, while 51 had died in the war, Misri said.