Foreigners were funnelled into Russia's army through fake job offers
Amnesty International described the recruitment of foreigners lured to Russia with promises of civilian work and compelled to sign military contracts as human trafficking. The study published Thursday draws on interviews with prisoners of war in Ukraine, serving foreigners, relatives, lawyers and journalists. Interviewees described passports and phones being confiscated or threats when they sought to leave.
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Civilian job offers became military contracts
Amnesty International's research published Thursday says foreign nationals were drawn to Russia through advertisements promising civilian work in fields such as security, logistics, construction and information technology. The organisation describes a recruitment system based on coercion, fraud and deception, with some people promised non-combat roles, high pay or accelerated citizenship. France 24 likewise reported prisoners of war saying they were made to sign military contracts after arriving in Russia. Russia did not immediately issue a public response to the allegations carried in the report.[2], [1]
The research draws on several groups of interviews
Amnesty's briefing covers interviews conducted between 2024 and 2026 with people from Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Egypt, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Somalia and South Africa at two prisoner-of-war camps in Ukraine. The organisation also says it spoke with foreign nationals serving in Russian forces, relatives, lawyers, human-rights advocates and journalists. France 24 highlighted accounts from captives from Brazil, Colombia, Sri Lanka and South Africa. The findings rest on those interviews; neither government publishes a total for foreign soldiers serving in its ranks.[2], [1]
Freedom of movement narrowed after signing
Everyone interviewed by Amnesty described severe restrictions on freedom of movement after signing a military contract. Brazilian and Sri Lankan recruits said passports and phones were taken during training or before deployment to the front. Some described threats of prison or death when they tried to leave, while others said they could not understand documents they signed. The organisation assesses this shared pattern as human trafficking. France 24's independent report confirms the publication of the research, its interview basis and the central allegation that false civilian job offers were used to funnel people toward the front.[2], [1]
