Amnesty International Accuses Russia of Trafficking Vulnerable Foreigners into Ukraine War

A new report by Amnesty International has accused Russia of tricking foreigners into fighting on Ukraine’s front lines in what amounts to human trafficking. Victims from Brazil, Colombia, Sri Lanka and South Africa were duped into travelling to Russia to take up well-paid civilian or non-combat jobs, then forced to join the Russian army on arrival, according to the report released on Thursday.

Russian recruiters also targeted migrants and refugees in Russia and coerced them into joining the military, the report said. Agnes Callamard, Amnesty International’s secretary general, stated that Russia's armed forces are bolstering their ranks with economically vulnerable foreign nationals and using them as cannon fodder in the war of aggression against Ukraine.

Amnesty International interviewed prisoners of war at two Ukrainian camps between 2024 and 2026, alongside foreign nationals currently serving with Russian forces, their families, lawyers, human rights activists, and journalists. The investigation revealed that local agents and misleading online job advertisements were used to deceive individuals in their home countries.

A South African man who applied online for a driving job in Poland was told to fly to Moscow to pick up a truck. His wife told Amnesty International that upon arrival in Moscow, everything was taken from him and he was informed he would become a soldier. Many recruits were promised lucrative salaries and sign-up bonuses that were never fulfilled, with their freedom of movement severely restricted.

Both Russia and Ukraine have recruited thousands of foreign nationals into their armies since the invasion began four-and-a-half years ago. An estimated 28,000 foreigners from 136 countries are reportedly fighting in the Russian army, while Ukraine says 16,000 foreign nationals from more than 70 countries are currently serving in the Ukrainian army. Russia has previously dismissed accusations of coercing foreigners into joining its military.