Islamabad Rejects Zelenskyy’s Claim About Pakistani Mercenaries Fighting For Russia

Dubai: Pakistan has rejected the “baseless and unfounded” claims of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about his troops fighting foreign “mercenaries” from various nations, including Pakistan, in the war against Russia.

“The Government of Pakistan categorically rejects the baseless and unfounded allegations of the involvement of Pakistani nationals in the conflict in Ukraine. To date, Pakistan has not been formally approached by the Ukrainian authorities, nor has any verifiable evidence been presented to substantiate such claims,” the foreign office said in a statement.

Stating that the allegation was an attempt to tarnish Pakistan’s image, it further indicated that Islamabad would seek a clarification from Kyiv on Zelenskyy’s claims. “Pakistan reaffirms its commitment to the peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict through dialogue and diplomacy, in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter,” it added.

However, it is not the first instance of alleged involvement of Pakistan in the conflict which began in February 2022. The cash-strapped nation was earlier accused of supplying arms or ammunition to Ukraine after BBC Urdu reported about a $364 million deal between Pakistan and two private US firms in 2022.  Pakistan’s Foreign Office had then rejected these claims, emphasising its commitment to “strict neutrality” in the conflict. During a visit to Pakistan in July 2023, then-Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba had also publicly dismissed these reports.

Zelenskyy’s Tweet

After visiting a frontline area in the northeastern Kharkiv region on Monday, Zelenskyy claimed that his troops were fighting foreign “mercenaries” from various countries, including Pakistan. “Our warriors in this sector are reporting the participation of mercenaries from China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and African countries in the war. We will respond,” he wrote on X.

Zelenskyy has previously accused Moscow of recruiting Chinese fighters for its war against Ukraine, which Beijing categorically denied. North Korea has also reportedly provided thousands of its troops in Russia’s Kursk region.