The Russian army has recruited nearly a thousand mercenaries from Syria to fight in Ukraine, the Ukrainian military said Friday.
"The Russian occupiers, which have suffered huge losses during the war, have already recruited mercenaries from the troops under the command of (Syria's) Bashar al-Assad regime and (Lebanese group) Hezbollah's so-called army," the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said in a statement.
Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests. According to the United Nations, over 350,000 people have lost their lives in the conflict, but human rights groups estimate the death toll to be between 500,000-600,000. Over 14 million people had to flee their homes, becoming refugees or internally displaced, according to the European Union.
Ukraine's president warned these mercenaries Thursday, saying it would be "the worst decision of your life" to participate in Russian ranks against the Ukrainian army.
"We have information that the Russian military is recruiting mercenaries from other countries, trying to deceive as many young people as possible into military service," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his daily video address on Telegram.
"So now I warn everyone who will try to join the occupiers on our Ukrainian land. Long life is better than the money you are offered for a short one," he said.
Zelenskyy also said he will continue his speeches to parliaments and squares of partner states to stop the war, restore Ukraine's territorial integrity, and return to long-awaited peace.
Zelenskyy has addressed parliaments of Germany, Canada and the United Kingdom so far in video calls.
He also spoke by video link at the European Parliament's plenary session dedicated to the Russian-Ukrainian war on March 1.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24, has drawn international condemnation, led to financial sanctions on Moscow and spurred an exodus of global firms from Russia.
At least 726 civilians have been killed and 1,174 injured in Ukraine since the beginning of the brutal invasion.
More than 3 million refugees have fled to neighboring countries, according to the U.N.
