Tens of thousands dead in Mariupol, Zelenskyy says amid plea to South Korea for arms

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said South Korea had many weapons that could not only help save the lives of ordinary Ukrainians, but help prevent Russia from attacking other nations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday asked Seoul for any military aid it could provide as he said Russia could only be forced to make peace.

Speaking in a video address to South Korean lawmakers, Zelenskyy said his country needed more help, including weapons, if it is to survive the war.

“You have something that can be indispensable for us … armored vehicles, anti-aircraft, anti-tank, anti-ship weapons,” he said.

Zelenskyy said South Korea had many weapons that could not only help save the lives of ordinary Ukrainians but help prevent Russia from attacking other nations.

“There is and cannot be a hope that Russia will stop on its own,” Zelenskyy said. “Russia can only be forced to do this, can only be forced to seek peace.”

He said tens of thousands of people had likely been killed in Russia’s assault on the southeastern city of Mariupol alone. Reuters could not verify the accuracy of his estimate.

Russia, which calls its actions in Ukraine a “special operation,” invaded Ukraine in late February.

Seoul’s defence ministry on Monday said it had rejected a request by Ukrainian defence minister Oleksii Reznikov for anti-aircraft weapons.