Russia is compelling thousands of migrants and foreign students, including those from Africa, to join its military forces in the war against Ukraine, according to a report by Bloomberg. African students and workers have been coerced into military service in exchange for visa extensions, while convicts are being recruited from prisons.
Some individuals have faced detention and given a stark choice: deportation or fighting in the war. However, those who managed to bribe officials have sometimes avoided military conscription. This coercive practice has been ongoing since the early stages of the conflict, with many forced recruits suffering high casualty rates due to their deployment in dangerous offensive operations. The Russian Foreign Ministry has not commented on these reports.
Russia has launched a global recruitment drive targeting 21 countries, including several African nations, to enlist foreign mercenaries by offering lucrative bonuses and salaries. Migrants and students have been lured with promises of employment, only to be forced into military training and subsequent deployment to the front lines. This strategy aims to bolster Russia’s military efforts as it seeks to leverage recent gains on the battlefield.
Despite sustaining heavy losses, with over 1,200 casualties daily in May, Russia has lost an estimated 500,000 personnel since the invasion began, according to the UK Ministry of Defence. These figures, however, remain unverified by Bloomberg.
President Vladimir Putin has suggested that Russia is losing approximately 10,000 troops each month, while claiming Ukrainian losses are five times higher. Despite failing to secure a decisive advantage on the battlefield, Russia has escalated its bombing campaign against Kharkiv, aiming to render the city uninhabitable.
In an effort to maintain public support, Putin has avoided full-scale mobilization, opting instead for voluntary recruitment drives, which have attracted tens of thousands of individuals. Nonetheless, many Nepali and African recruits have been conscripted without their governments’ knowledge, with some being captured on the battlefield. In response, Ukraine’s allies are considering sharing intelligence on foreign fighters with their respective countries. Additionally, Putin has issued threats of “asymmetric” countermeasures against Ukraine’s Western supporters.