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After reports emerged Russia was set to send Syrian fighters to Ukraine, the Kremlin said on Friday that Presiden Putin had backed the plan.
"Most of those who want and who asked to fight are citizens of Middle East countries and Syrians," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
The development comes amid fierce fighting between Ukrainian forces and the Russian Army. Reports claim the Russian forces have moved near the capital city amid heavy bombardment in the suburbs.
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Russia's defence minister reportedly claimed 16,000 volunteers from the Middle East were ready to fight in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russia continued its attack on various cities targeting the central city of Dnipro including Kharkiv.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said trucks carrying food and medicine to Mariupol was hit by Russian tanks even as the city's mayor said over 1,000 civilians were killed amid constant Russian shelling.
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Ukrainian authorities have evacuated people in large numbers from cities hit by Russian attacks as President Zelensky informed that at least 100,000 people have evacuated from areas surrounding Kyiv which has come under heavy fire from Russian forces in the last few days.
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Fighting is also continuing in Chernihiv, Severodonetsk in the east even as Russia promised open humanitarian corridors for civilians every day. The UN said over two and a half million people have aleady fled the country since President Putin's forces attacked Ukraine on February 24.
(With inputs from Agencies)