(London) Ukraine claims that Russia recruits foreign mercenaries through extortion, bribery, and deception. Currently, over 18,000 foreigners from 128 countries and regions are fighting for Russia, with thousands more North Korean soldiers not yet included in the count.
CNN, citing data from the Ukrainian POW Coordination Headquarters, reports that nearly 200 of the tens of thousands of foreigners who joined the Russian army have been captured by Ukraine.
The prisoners of war claim they were deceived by Russia and forced into combat, receiving only one to two weeks of training before being sent to the front lines with an extremely high risk of death. Ukrainian data shows that at least 3,388 of the tens of thousands of foreign combatants have died.
Data shows that the number of foreigners fighting for Russia is increasing year by year. In the first nine months of this year, the number of foreign prisoners of war captured by the Ukrainian army was double that of last year, and last year's number was five times that of 2023.
The main reason for Russia's large-scale recruitment of foreigners is the sharp decline in the number of Russian soldiers, with many Russian citizens fleeing abroad and unwilling to serve. British defense intelligence says that an average of about 1,000 Russian soldiers are killed or wounded every day.
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Russia is using visas, residence permits, and citizenship to attract foreigners to its military. Immigrants from Central Asian countries like Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan are most likely to enlist due to immigration pressure. They also fear imprisonment or deportation if they don't serve.
A recruitment advertisement seen by CNN, targeting Arabic speakers, promises fast visa processing, a monthly salary of $2,000 to $2,500 (approximately S$2,598 to S$3,247), free medical care, and full living expenses.
A contract signed between a Chinese citizen and the Russian military also shows that Russia promises free education, food, and supplies after three years of service. In exchange, Russia requires them to participate in combat, including missions outside of Russia.
In response, several countries have recently strongly urged Russia to stop recruiting their citizens. Kenya issued a statement this month saying that authorities are concerned about the use of "overseas work" as a pretext to send Kenyans to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
India has also demanded that Russia release 44 Indian citizens who assisted in the war and take measures to prevent its citizens from being "deceived into joining."
