Amnesty International has denounced Russia's practice of recruiting foreign nationals to fight in Ukraine, describing it as "human trafficking" and a "widespread human rights violation." According to the organization, Moscow uses deceptive, coercive, and exploitative practices to enlist foreigners into its military forces and send them to the front lines. This has been documented in cases involving migrants and refugees already in Russia, who are lured by false promises.
The majority of those targeted come from low-income countries in the Global South. Amnesty International's research, based on interviews conducted between 2024 and 2026, reveals that Russian recruiters prey on economically vulnerable foreign nationals, using their precarious situation to coerce them into military service. Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International's Secretary General, stated that these practices amount to human trafficking, as defined by the UN's Palermo Protocol.
Amnesty International's report details various methods used by Russian authorities to recruit foreign nationals. These include exploiting the irregular status of migrants who have overstayed their work visas or the situation of foreigners facing prosecution for criminal offenses. In some cases, military service is presented as an alternative to detention or expulsion. The organization cites examples of Sri Lankans, Cubans, and Egyptians who were recruited after their visas expired or who were offered military contracts instead of serving prison sentences.
The research also highlights the role of local agents and misleading online job offers. Candidates from Brazil, Colombia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, and Sri Lanka claim they were promised civilian jobs with high salaries and accelerated access to Russian citizenship, only to be fraudulently integrated into the military. Amnesty International argues that these practices violate Russia's international obligations to criminalize and combat human trafficking.
Amnesty International is calling on Moscow to immediately cease all forms of abusive recruitment of foreign nationals, including coercion, deception, and exploitation of economic and legal vulnerabilities. The organization also urges Russia to investigate reported crimes, protect victims, and prosecute those responsible. According to Amnesty, these practices are a "widespread human rights violation" that the international community should address urgently.
The recruitment of foreign nationals by Russia has been documented through interviews with prisoners of war and their families, as well as with human rights activists and lawyers. Amnesty International's findings suggest that this practice is not an isolated incident, but rather a systematic effort to bolster Russian forces with foreign nationals. The organization is demanding that Russia take concrete steps to prevent further exploitation and abuse.
The issue has sparked international concern, with many countries condemning Russia's actions. Chad, a country in Central Africa, has been affected by the crisis, with reports of Chadian nationals being recruited to fight in Ukraine. The international community is urged to take a strong stance against Russia's practices and to support efforts to protect human rights and prevent human trafficking.
Key points
- Amnesty International has accused Russia of using "deceptive, coercive and exploitative" practices to recruit foreign nationals to fight in Ukraine.
- The organization has documented cases of migrants and refugees being lured into military service with false promises of employment and citizenship.
- Amnesty International is calling on Russia to immediately cease all forms of abusive recruitment of foreign nationals and to investigate reported crimes.
