Between April 2023 and the end of May 2024, Russia recruited more than 1,500 foreign nationals to participate in the war against Ukraine.
This was reported by the British Ministry of Defence.
According to British intelligence, the Kremlin recruited the most volunteers from South and East Asia – 771 people – followed by the former Soviet republics – 523 people – and Africa – 72 people.
The recruitment of foreign nationals into the Russian army is usually unsystematic. Most volunteers are interested in financial incentives and the potential for Russian citizenship.
“Foreign nationals are almost certainly a very small proportion of the total number of recruits in the Russian Armed Forces, as much more emphasis is placed on recruiting within Russia,” the report says.
It is likely that Russia will continue to recruit foreigners in the medium term, as it maintains its recruitment strategy aimed at replacing heavy losses on the battlefield without resorting to a second wave of mobilisation.
- Recently, the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces in the Kursk Region of Russia destroyed a DPRK platoon in close combat.