Amnesty International released a report Thursday documenting what it characterizes as systematic human trafficking by Russian authorities to recruit foreign nationals into military service. The organization interviewed prisoners of war held at two Ukrainian camps between 2024 and 2026, as well as foreign nationals currently serving with Russian forces, their families, legal experts, and journalists.
According to the report, Russian recruiters employed deceptive tactics including misleading online job advertisements and local agents to attract economically vulnerable foreigners in their home countries. Individuals from Brazil, Colombia, Sri Lanka, and South Africa reported being offered lucrative civilian or non-combat positions, only to have those offers reversed upon arrival in Russia. One documented case involved a South African man who responded to an online driving job posting for Poland; upon arriving in Moscow, his possessions were confiscated and he was informed he would become a soldier instead.
The organization found that recruits faced severe restrictions on freedom of movement after signing military contracts. Those from Brazil and Sri Lanka reported having their passports and mobile phones seized during training before deployment to front-line positions. Many recruits were promised substantial salaries and signing bonuses that reportedly went unfulfilled.
Amnesty International Secretary General Agnes Callamard stated that the documented exploitation and coercion patterns meet the criteria for human trafficking under the United Nations Palermo Protocol. The rights group noted it cannot investigate recruitment practices by Ukrainian forces due to lack of access to Russian prisoners of war, as Russia designates Amnesty as a “foreign agent.”
Estimates indicate approximately 28,000 foreigners from 136 countries serve in Russian military forces, while Ukraine reports 16,000 foreign nationals from over 70 countries in its army. Russia has previously rejected similar accusations of coerced recruitment.
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