Zelensky revealed another chilling dimension to the war raging in his country as the Kremlin hires mercenaries to make up for Russia's mounting losses

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday that Ukrainian troops in northeastern Ukraine were fighting foreign "mercenaries" from various countries including China, Pakistan and parts of Africa, and vowed a response.

The Kremlin's army has suffered horrific casualties in just under three-and-a-half years of brutal fighting and is desperately searching for new recruits.