Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during his address to the UN General Assembly that Russia continues the war despite suffering significant battlefield losses. He called on the international community to limit Moscow’s ability to continue its aggression and stressed the global risks posed by the Kremlin’s actions.
Zelenskyy made the remarks during his address to the UN General Assembly.
The president said that from January through August 2026, the Russian army had, according to him, lost 248,964 troops on the battlefield in Ukraine.
“I don’t know anyone who is openly for this war except for one man,” Zelenskyy said.
According to him, Ukraine has video confirmation of every Russian loss, and behind the numbers are human lives.
“We have an archive of drone videos showing thousands and thousands of Russians losing their lives in kill zones. It’s madness. But they still keep going there to die, because that is what Putin wants,” the president said.
Zelenskyy on the cost of Russia’s offensive
The Ukrainian president said that despite heavy losses, Russia had managed to capture just over 1,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory this year, while Ukraine had already liberated a significant part of it.
“Russia is a country that already has 17 million square kilometers of its own land without any Ukrainian territory. To add another thousand square kilometers, Putin spent 248 people per kilometer,” Zelenskyy said.
He also spoke about the involvement of North Korean troops in supporting Russia. According to the president, North Korea sent its soldiers to help the Russian army, and they also suffered losses.
Zelenskyy said Kim Jong Un is using his soldiers as “currency” in exchange for receiving technologies, including in the missile and drone sectors.
North Korean prisoners of war
The president also said that Ukraine had transferred two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea.
According to Zelenskyy, one of them tried to kill himself after realizing he was going to be captured, because he had been raised in a system where people are deprived of the right to choose and taught that they must die.
Russia poses a threat beyond Ukraine
Zelenskyy said Russia has claims against Moldova, constantly threatens Poland and the Baltic states, and shows no respect for the statehood of countries in the South Caucasus and Central Asia.
According to him, people in Syria and across Africa are also experiencing the consequences of Russian actions.
“The more freedom Putin has to act, the more dangerous the world becomes for everyone else,” the president said.
He called on the international community not to allow Russia to spread its aggression.
Call for UN reform
Zelenskyy separately criticized Russia’s use of its veto power in the UN Security Council.
“Many of you here have seen more than once how they abuse the veto at the UN — it weakens the world and pushes peace further away,” he said.
According to the president, when Russia has the resources to continue the war, it rejects diplomatic solutions.
Russia’s failed summer plans and budget problems
Zelenskyy said Russia’s planned major operations on the front this summer did not bring the expected results.
“Russia planned major operations on the front this summer — all of them failed. Russia’s bets on cruise missiles and Shaheds didn’t work the way Putin planned,” the president said.
According to him, Russia’s economic situation is also deteriorating. Zelenskyy said Russia’s budget deficit is now larger than in any previous year, while most Russian regions are already effectively bankrupt.
More than 2,100 missiles and 63,000 attack drones in eight months
The president separately cited figures on the scale of Russian aerial attacks against Ukraine since the beginning of the year.
According to Zelenskyy, Russia has used more than 2,100 missiles of various types, including more than 950 ballistic missiles.
In addition, over eight months Russian forces used 63,000 attack drones of different types against Ukraine. More than 7,700 of them, according to the president, were jet-powered Shaheds.
“These are truly destructive and very dangerous weapons. Just think about it,” Zelenskyy stressed.
Even the richest countries lack enough interceptor missiles
Zelenskyy also drew attention to the global shortage of missiles for air defense systems.
“Today, even the richest countries in the world can’t find enough missile interceptors — current production is simply not enough,” the president said.
According to him, even countries that spent years building up interceptor stockpiles have already used a significant part of them.
Ukrainian drones can already reach military factories in Siberia
Speaking about the development of Ukraine’s defense capabilities, Zelenskyy separately mentioned long-range drones.
“When Russia started this war, it could never have imagined that Ukrainian long-range drones would one day reach its military factories somewhere in Siberia,” the president said.
“General Winter” could turn against Russia
Zelenskyy said that if Russia continues striking Ukraine’s energy system and heating infrastructure, Ukraine will respond in a way that makes Russia feel the consequences of winter as well.
“No Russian official ever imagined that ‘General Winter,’ which had fought on Russia’s side for centuries, would one day switch sides and support those defending themselves from Russia,” the president said.
“We will make that happen this winter if Russia continues to target our energy system and our heating,” he added.
Zelenskyy on China’s influence over Russia
The president also expressed regret that he had not had an opportunity to speak directly with China’s leader.
“Unfortunately, we have not had a chance to speak directly with the leader of China, who is in America today but not here,” Zelenskyy said.
According to him, the Chinese leader is among those who can exert significant influence over Russia.
“He is someone who can influence Russia more than many, many others can,” the president said.
“This winter could be very harsh”
Zelenskyy warned that the coming winter could be difficult for Ukraine because of Russian attacks.
“This winter could be very harsh for us, but in response, we will have no choice but to make it painful for Russia too,” the president said.
“The longer Putin wages war, the more evil he will leave behind”
Speaking about the Russian president, Zelenskyy again called him “patient zero,” from whom, in his words, this war began.
“Russia’s leader, patient zero, the man from whom this war began and spread into the world, becoming the largest war in Europe since World War II, will inevitably leave this world,” he said.
“But the longer Putin is able to wage war, the more evil he will leave behind in this world,” Zelenskyy added.
Russia uses citizens of 47 countries in the war
Zelenskyy said Russia is recruiting citizens of dozens of countries to fight in its war against Ukraine.
“We know that Russia uses citizens of 47 countries in its war in Ukraine — Ghana, Nepal, Tajikistan, India, Yemen, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Cuba, Belarus, Sudan, South Africa, and many, many others,” the president said.
He directly addressed representatives of those countries, urging them not to allow Russia to draw their citizens into the war.
“You know what Russia is doing with your people. They’re your citizens. Take care of them and do not let them end up on another front,” Zelenskyy said.
The president called on those countries not to allow Putin to use the lives of their citizens to compensate for Russian losses.
“Do not let Putin drag you into this war. Do not let Russia put out its fires, cover up its shame, and pay for its madness with the lives of your people,” he stressed.
Zelenskyy warns about AI on the battlefield
The president also drew attention to the rapid development of military technologies and artificial intelligence.
According to Zelenskyy, the world needs to slow the development of weapons for killing before technology reaches the next stage.
“As early as next year, there is already a real possibility that AI, not only people, will begin to decide what happens on the battlefield,” the president said.
“And we need peace before we reach that point,” Zelenskyy added.
