Zelensky says Russia tricking Indians into joining war: ‘Don’t let Putin drag you in'

Russia is luring Indians into its war against Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky has said. The Ukrainian President alleged that Moscow was recruiting nationals from 47 countries through “deception and tricks”.

At the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Wednesday, Zelensky asked the other countries to prevent their citizens from being drawn into the Russia-Ukraine war .

“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 others... We also see people dying on the battlefield who are not Russians — people from your countries, 47 countries, who ended up in Russia through deception and tricks,” the Ukrainian president said.

The Ukrainian president addressed representatives of the countries whose citizens he claimed were fighting in the war. He asked them to protect their nationals.

“[Russian President Vladimir] 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.

“Do not let Putin drag you into this war. Limit his room to act, limit his money, limit his war,” he added.

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The Russian armed forced recruited 227 Indian nationals, according to figures released by the ministry of external affairs. Of these, 139 had been discharged, while 51 died, foreign secretary Vikram Misri said earlier this month.

Misri said New Delhi remained in discussions with Moscow to secure the release and repatriation of the remaining Indians, as per news agency ANI.

Zelensky also called for measures to restrict Russia’s ability to finance and sustain the war. He said Moscow’s oil industry was facing significant pressure.

He clarified that Ukraine’s objective was not to target oil, fuel supplies, factories or ports for their own sake. Instead, he said Kyiv wanted to reduce Russia’s ability to generate revenue for the war.

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“Oil itself is not Ukraine’s target, not our target, not gasoline or diesel, not factories or ports … Our target is Russia’s ability to finance this war, to drag it out, to make it more brutal and more destructive,” he said.

“Russia’s finances and Russia’s production are what must be stopped if Putin is to be stopped,” he added. Zelensky has also asked India, China and Turkey to reduce their energy trade with Russia.