Russia recruits over 18,000 foreigners into war against Ukraine, at least 3,388 of whom killed - Coordinating Headquarters for Prisoners of War
Russia has recruited over 18,000 foreigners from 128 countries and unrecognized territories into the war against Ukraine, at least 3,388 of whom have been killed. This was announced by the Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War on Telegram, Ukrainian News Agency reports.
"Ukraine knows for certain the names of more than 18,000 foreigners from 128 countries and unrecognized territories who fought or continue to fight as part of the russian armed forces. At least 3,388 of them have been killed. Ukraine is holding captive citizens of 37 countries of the world who fought on the side of the occupiers," the report says.
According to the Secretary of the Coordinating Headquarters Dmytro Usov, starting in 2023, russia created an extensive network of recruiters around the world, trying to compensate for the significant losses of its army, as a result of which the number of contracts signed by foreigners with the russian armed forces grew every month - first to hundreds, and later to thousands.
The main motive for most of such mercenaries is financial gain, while many people ended up in the russian army through deception or coercion.
According to Usov, Ukraine has recently managed to significantly reduce the pace of international recruitment carried out by russia. He gave an example of effective cooperation with the government of Nepal: in 2023-2024, almost 1,000 citizens of Nepal signed a contract with the russian army, in 2025, as of October 1, only one person from this country joined the russian army.
Usov stressed that the russian federation is not interested in returning citizens of other countries from captivity in exchange for Ukrainian prisoners. According to him, russia has not yet requested an exchange of any foreign citizen, except for citizens of North Korea.
The Secretary of the Coordinating Headquarters recalled that foreigners whom russia throws into the war against Ukraine can apply to the "I Want to Live" project (https://koordshtab.gov.ua/hochuzhit). According to him, for many of them, whom the russian command uses as cheap and unenforceable "cannon fodder", voluntary surrender remains in fact the only chance to save their lives.
As Ukrainian News Agency reported, earlier in November, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reported that at least 1,436 citizens from 36 African countries are currently fighting in the russian army against Ukraine.