Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Kenya are seeking the return of their citizens who have ended up in the Russian army and been drawn into the war against Ukraine. In some cases, this involves possible deception or coercion during recruitment.
The Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine reported this.
Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubayev said the ministry is receiving reports that the country’s citizens are being forced to sign contracts with Russia’s Ministry of Defence. According to him, this is happening, among other places, at military enlistment offices and in pre-trial detention centres. If the information arrives in time, diplomats try to prevent people from being sent to the front.
Kazakhstan is also holding talks with Russia on the return of its citizens from the combat zone. The diplomatic service responds to requests from people who want to return home.
Relatives of one Kazakh man say he travelled to Russia for work, but after complaining about working conditions he and other men were taken to a military enlistment office and forced to sign a contract.
Kenya, for its part, is seeking the return of citizens who fought on Russia’s side and were taken prisoner by Ukraine. The country’s Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi said the men were promised jobs as drivers, security guards or cooks, but instead ended up in the Russian army.
The Foreign Intelligence Service notes that recruiting foreigners for the war against Ukraine is becoming not only a humanitarian issue but also a diplomatic problem for Russia. Governments of other states are increasingly raising the issue of bringing back their citizens who have ended up in the Russian army under circumstances that may indicate deception or coercion.
- According to estimates by Ukraine’s military intelligence, Russia has already recruited more than 28,000 foreign mercenaries. Ukraine is trying to stop Russian recruitment abroad. According to Ukrainian intelligence, around 8,000 North Korean troops are in Russia’s Kursk region. In the future, their number could rise to about 50,000.