Russia uses deception to enlist foreigners in its war against Ukraine
Illustrative photo: Russians have already lured thousands of foreigners into war through deception (Getty Images)
Russia is massively recruiting citizens of other countries to fight in the war against Ukraine through fake staffing agencies and semi-criminal labor migration networks, according to the Center for Countering Disinformation.
According to Western media, last year, Russia sent at least 18,000 citizens from 126 countries across Asia, Africa, and Latin America to the front lines. Already, 3,300 of them have died, and on average, such recruits survive on the front for only 72 hours.
"Over the past several months, there has been a sharp increase in social media advertisements offering jobs to foreigners in the Russian army. This indicates a systematic and large-scale recruitment effort," the center's statement reads.
It notes that Russian recruiting violates international humanitarian law and often shows all the signs of human trafficking.
Foreigners are promised official jobs with high salaries, but after signing a contract in Russian, a language they often do not understand, their documents are taken, and they are sent to fight in the war.
"At the same time, the Kremlin is waging aggressive propaganda aimed at portraying Russia as an 'anti-colonial ally' of Africa and the Global South. In reality, Moscow’s actions are the opposite: it exploits citizens of Global South countries as a resource for its war of aggression," the Center for Countering Disinformation emphasized.
The Indian government has reported at least 200 cases of its citizens being recruited by Russia to fight in Ukraine. At least 26 Indian citizens have already died, and seven are considered missing.
In addition, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry has urged African countries to take decisive measures to stop Russian schemes that lure young people across the continent to fight against Ukraine.
More details on what Africans are doing on the front lines, how they end up in captivity, and what they think of Russians afterward can be found in the material by RBC-Ukraine.
