Zelensky tells UN Russia is using fighters from 47 countries in Ukraine war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the United Nations that Russia is using citizens from 47 countries in its war against Ukraine. Speaking on Wednesday, he said the list included people from North Korea, Ghana and India. He also said two captured North Korean troops had been sent to South Korea.

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Zelensky made the remarks during an address in which he accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of relying on foreign fighters to continue the war. He said Moscow was seeking help from people beyond Russia's borders in order to keep fighting and take more territory. The Ukrainian president did not provide further detail in the remarks on how many of the foreign nationals were fighting for Russia or in what roles they were serving.

The comments add to the focus on North Korea's growing role in Russia's war effort. Zelensky said the two North Korean prisoners of war were difficult to capture alive, underlining the intensity of the fighting. His remarks also came as he warned that Ukrainian forces could target Russian heating and energy facilities in winter if Moscow continues to strike Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

The allegation matters because it points to the widening international dimension of the conflict. Ukraine has repeatedly sought to show that Russia is drawing on outside support to sustain its invasion, while Kyiv continues to press allies for military and political backing. Zelensky also used the same address to highlight new defence cooperation, including drone deals with partners in the Gulf, the South Caucasus and Europe.

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The issue of foreign fighters has become part of the broader narrative around Russia's war, which has already drawn in North Korea through military cooperation and prisoner transfers. Zelensky's reference to citizens from 47 countries suggests a wider pool of involvement than previously described in public remarks. It also places renewed attention on how third-country nationals may be being recruited, deployed or otherwise drawn into the conflict.

What remains unclear is how Ukraine has verified the nationalities of all the people it says are involved, and how many are fighting voluntarily or under other arrangements. Zelensky did not give a breakdown by country beyond naming North Korea, Ghana and India. The next developments to watch are whether Ukraine or other governments provide corroboration, and whether the claim affects diplomatic pressure on Moscow or on states whose citizens are said to be involved.

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