Russia trafficking foreigners to fight in Ukraine, Amnesty International reports

A September 10, 2026 report by Amnesty International accuses Russia of illegally trafficking vulnerable foreign nationals from the Global South to fight in Ukraine. Recruiters lured victims from countries like Sri Lanka, Brazil, and South Africa using fake job advertisements, or coerced undocumented migrants in Russia by weaponizing expired visas. Victims faced passport confiscation, signed incomprehensible contracts, and received minimal training before front-line deployment.

Russian recruitment of foreign nationals

• ▪Amnesty International's report on Russian recruitment was based on interviews with prisoners of war, foreign nationals serving with Russian forces, family members, lawyers, human rights activists, and journalists.
• ▪Amnesty International released a report on September 10, 2026, accusing Russia of illegally trafficking foreign nationals to fight in Ukraine.

Deceptive job advertisements

• ▪Russian recruiters lured foreign nationals from countries including Brazil, Colombia, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and Kenya using fake online advertisements for well-paid civilian or non-combat jobs.
• ▪A South African truck driver who applied online for a driving job in Poland was diverted to Moscow, where his belongings were confiscated and he was forced to become a soldier.
• ▪A Brazilian national named Pedro traveled to Russia believing he signed a contract for an IT job, but was instead taken to a military training center and sent to the front line.

Coercion of migrants

• ▪A Sri Lankan national named Dinesh was approached to join the Russian army after his Russian work visa expired, and was sent to the front line after two weeks of training.
• ▪Russian recruiters targeted foreign nationals living in Russia without legal status, weaponizing overstayed visas or criminal offenses to coerce them into enlisting in exchange for residency or passports.
• ▪Foreign recruits in the Russian military had their passports, phones, and documents confiscated, and were forced to sign contracts in languages they did not understand.

Minimal training before deployment

• ▪Two Sri Lankan nationals interviewed by Amnesty International stated they believed they would work as cooks but were deployed to the front lines and captured by Ukrainian forces.
• ▪Amnesty International reported that many foreign recruits received only two weeks of military training before being deployed to active combat zones on the front lines.

Foreign fighter numbers

• ▪Ukrainian authorities estimated in April 2026 that more than 28,000 foreigners from 136 countries were fighting in the Russian army.
• ▪Ukraine stated that 16,000 foreign nationals from more than 70 countries, including nearly 40 percent from Latin America, serve in the Ukrainian army.
• ▪Ukrainian officials believe Russia deployed approximately 14,000 North Korean troops to the Kursk region to counter Ukraine's 2024 incursion.

International accountability demands

• ▪Amnesty International Secretary-General Agnes Callamard called on Ukraine and other affected nations to investigate and compile evidence of human trafficking to prosecute those responsible.
• ▪Governments in countries such as Kenya and Ghana have demanded that Russia halt the recruitment of their citizens for the war in Ukraine.