Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed on Monday that his troops fighting in Kharkiv had faced not just Russian invading forces but mercenaries from a variety of Asian and African countries imported into the war theater.
Zelensky made the accusation during a visit to Kharkiv, prompting the government of Pakistan, which was named among the origin countries of the alleged mercenaries, to issue a statement calling the claim “baseless.” Islamabad’s Foreign Ministry nonetheless promised to investigate the claims to corroborate its denial.
The allegation that Russia is importing foreign nationals to fight in its full-scale invasion of Ukraine is not new; as early as a year into the conflict, in 2023, a Zambian national was confirmed killed on the battlefield fighting for Moscow. Zelensky’s
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