Volodymyr Zelensky has warned 47 countries during his speech to the UN General Assembly, claiming their citizens have been deployed by Russia to fight in Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine. The Ukrainian President accused Moscow of using “deception and tricks” to recruit people from around the world before urging governments to “take care of them”.

He said people from 47 countries had ended up fighting for Russia, naming Ghana, Nepal, Tajikistan, India, Yemen, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Cuba, Belarus, Sudan and South Africa among them. Mr Zelensky had earlier told the UN that North Korea had sent troops to “support the weak points of the Russian army”. But he warned that foreign involvement in Russia’s war stretched far beyond North Korea. He said Ukraine occasionally receives requests for captured foreign fighters to be sent “back home”, while its forces have also recorded drone footage showing non-Russian soldiers dying on the battlefield. Mr Zelensky told delegates: “People from your countries, 47 countries, who ended up in Russia through deception and tricks.”

Addressing representatives of those nations directly, he added: “I want to speak directly to every representative of these 47 countries… you know what Russia is doing with your people, your citizens. Take care of them.”

Elsewhere in his address, Mr Zelensky issued a wider warning over the threat posed by Russia as the war continues.

He accused Mr Putin of starting the largest war in Europe since the Second World War and warned that further bloodshed would follow if Moscow was not opposed.

Mr Zelensky said the longer the Russian President was able to wage war, “the more evil he will leave behind in this world”.

He also claimed Russia was launching jet-powered Shahed drones against Ukrainian cities, infrastructure and its economy “every hour”.

The Ukrainian leader said the attacks formed part of a Russian strategy to maintain a constant air threat, disrupt people’s lives and prevent children from being able to study.

Mr Zelensky also turned his attention to China, saying he wanted to hold direct talks with President Xi Jinping.

He said the Chinese leader was someone who could “influence Russia more than many others can”.

The Ukrainian President added that he wanted Mr Xi to “want peace as much as we do in Ukraine”.

He said Russian revenues should “remain a target” as Ukraine seeks to pile further economic pressure on Moscow.