Russia is trafficking foreign nationals into its military to fight in the war against Ukraine, Amnesty International has alleged in a new report, citing interviews with prisoners of war who said they were deceived into signing Russian military contracts.
The London-based rights organisation said citizens of Brazil, Colombia, Sri Lanka and South Africa were among those allegedly recruited, with some reportedly lured to Russia through fake job advertisements before being pressured or made to join the military after arriving in the country.
The report comes after an AFP investigation in June found that Kenyan nationals had also been targeted with promises of well-paid civilian jobs before being recruited to fight on the front line.
“The suffering linked… to the internationalisation of the war is affecting highly vulnerable communities and individuals around the world,” Amnesty Secretary-General Agnes Callamard told AFP in an interview marking the release of the report.
Russia did not immediately comment publicly on the allegations.
Both Russia and Ukraine have recruited thousands of foreign nationals into their armed forces since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than four years ago.
Ukraine estimated in April that more than 28,000 foreigners from 136 countries were serving in the Russian military. Officials have also estimated that Russia deployed about 14,000 North Korean troops to support its forces during fighting linked to Ukraine’s 2024 incursion into the Kursk region.
Ukraine has also relied on foreign fighters, although Amnesty said it was unable to conduct similar inquiries among foreigners held by Kyiv because of its designation as a “foreign agent” in Russia.
Neither Moscow nor Kyiv publicly discloses the total number of foreign nationals serving in their respective forces.
Callamard accused individuals working for the Russian state of being aware that some foreign recruits were being exploited.
“Obviously, there are many individuals who work for the Russian state who know that the people they recruit to go to the front line are victims of trafficking,” she said.
“They are complicit in this phenomenon and they should be held accountable.”
According to Callamard, recruiters typically target foreigners under the age of 40 from poorer countries, attracting them with promises of employment and better economic opportunities.
Russia has previously rejected accusations that it coerces foreign nationals into joining its armed forces, while the latest allegations are likely to intensify scrutiny of Moscow’s efforts to recruit personnel from outside the country for the war in Ukraine.
