'Third World War has begun:' Ex-Ukraine military commander-in-chief Valery Zaluzhny

"I absolutely believe that in 2024 we can believe that the Third World War has begun," Zaluzhny said during a speech at the Ukrainska Pravda's UP100 award ceremony.

Now serving as Ukraine's envoy to the United Kingdom, Zaluzhny pointed to the direct involvement of Russia's "autocratic allies" that have contributed significantly to the war's global expansion.

"Soldiers from North Korea are standing in front of Ukraine. Let's be honest. Already in Ukraine, the Iranian 'Shahedis' are killing civilians absolutely openly, without any shame," he continued, stressing North Korean troops and Chinese weapons were now actively contributing to the war.

Zaluzhny urged Ukraine's allies to take decisive action and prevent the conflict from spreading beyond the country's borders.

"It is still possible to stop it here, on the territory of Ukraine. But for some reason, our partners do not want to understand this. It is obvious that Ukraine already has too many enemies," he was quoted as saying by NDTV.

His comments came amid heightened tensions, with Moscow reportedly deploying over 10,000 North Korean troops to the Kursk region and utilising Iranian drones and other advanced weaponry against Ukraine.