According to the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, hundreds of foreigners from 48 countries who fought for Russia are currently being held in Ukrainian captivity. As Interfax-Ukraine reports, this was announced on April 29 by the agency’s secretary, Brigadier General Dmytro Usov. Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that the total number of such mercenaries in custody exceeds 300 individuals. Additionally, the Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) has uncovered Moscow’s secret plans regarding the further mass mobilization of foreign citizens to participate in the ongoing war.
The scale of foreign mercenary involvement in the ranks of the Russian occupation army continues to grow at an alarming rate. During a special event presenting the report ‘Foreign Fighters in the Russian Army: How to Stop the Global Recruitment Scheme’, Dmytro Usov emphasized that this is a systematic global campaign. ‘Today, citizens of 48 countries are represented in our captivity. These are hundreds, not even tens of people,’ he noted, highlighting the severity of the issue.
According to the secretary of the Coordination Headquarters, the majority of the captured foreign fighters come from post-Soviet states and Asian countries. Specifically, citizens of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Nepal, and Kyrgyzstan lead this grim list. The enemy’s recruitment system, which Ukrainian officials aptly describe as ‘predatory recruitment’, primarily targets vulnerable segments of the population. These are mostly migrant workers, foreign students, and people seeking employment who are lured by the promise of high salaries or coerced through threats of deportation and imprisonment.
The dynamics of foreigners falling into Ukrainian captivity are rising sharply. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has repeatedly emphasized at international forums that Russia, suffering colossal losses on the battlefield, is forced to look for ‘cannon fodder’ in Africa and Asia. Over 300 foreigners who came to kill Ukrainians are now giving testimonies in detention centers. Ukraine views this as a direct violation of international law and urges the global community to react decisively.
Furthermore, Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence has disclosed details of the Kremlin’s large-scale operation for the near future. Russia has established strict quotas for its military enlistment offices regarding the recruitment of migrants. Raids and checks are being conducted on foreign men across all regions of the aggressor country. Individuals who face issues with their visas or documentation are deliberately placed in situations where the only ‘alternative’ to a lengthy prison sentence is signing a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense. Intelligence data suggests that through this scheme, the Russian Federation aims to recruit around 20,000 foreign citizens in 2026 alone.
To counter this persistent threat, Ukrainian agencies are uniting their efforts. The Coordination Headquarters plans to launch a dedicated English-language resource aimed at informing foreigners about the harsh realities of the Russian front and the extreme risks of death or capture. Through the coordinated work of diplomats and intelligence services, Ukraine has already managed to suspend Russian recruitment processes in dozens of countries worldwide.