Shafaq News/ On Friday, the Russian Embassy in Baghdad issued a statement denying the circulated news about a Russian request to join its military forces invading Ukraine.

"We deny some media allegations about the involvement of the Russian Federation Consulate in Basra in requesting to join the ranks of the Russian forces."

This rejection comes after the Consulate General of Russia in Basra announced on Thursday that it continues to receive Iraqi citizens who want to join the ranks of the Russian army to participate in the invasion of Ukraine "against the Nazi regime supported by the United States and NATO."

"The Russian forces are strong enough to hold the situation. We thank you for your understanding and solidarity," The Embassy added.

On Wednesday night, Iraqi forces removed a large portrait of Russian President Vladimir Putin in central Baghdad, hours after it was unfurled.

The Iraqi security authorities also directed their forces to prevent the lifting of pictures of the Russian President in public places.

Since the previous week, Ukrainian forces have been battling Russian forces on three fronts after Moscow unleashed the most significant attack on a European state since World War II, prompting tens of thousands of people to flee their homes.

After the Russian President declared war in a pre-dawn televised address, explosions and gunfire were heard through the day in Ukraine's capital and elsewhere in the country.

The invasion has yet to achieve the Russian President's goal of overthrowing Ukraine's government. Still, it has sent more than 870,000 people fleeing to neighboring countries and jolted the global economy as governments and companies line up to isolate Moscow.

The United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to deplore the invasion "in the strongest terms." It demanded that Russia withdraw its forces in a resolution backed by 141 of the assembly's 193 members.a