UK intelligence has dedicated its latest review to how Russia is recruiting foreigner mercenaries to join its armed forces to fight in the war it has waged against Ukraine.
The review was published in the British Ministry of Defense‘s X.
According to the Ministry, from April 2023 to the end of May 2024, Russia recruited more than 1,500 foreign citizens in Moscow to participate in the war, according to a recent study by the independent Russian media outlet Vazhnye Istoriyi.
The largest number of volunteers reportedly came from South and East Asia (771 people), followed by former Soviet republics (523 people) and Africa (72 people).
British intelligence suggests that the recruitment of foreign nationals into the Russian army is largely unsystematic.
The review emphasizes that most are attracted by financial incentives and the potential for Russian citizenship.
“Most likely, many foreign nationals are recruited through Moscow due to higher bonuses for signing contracts and the city’s relative international accessibility,” the review says.
The intelligence service added that foreigners almost certainly make up a tiny share of the total number of recruits in the Russian army, with the main emphasis on recruitment within the country.
“Nevertheless, some recruitment of foreign nationals will almost certainly continue in the medium term, as Russia maintains its current recruitment strategy aimed at replenishing heavy losses on the battlefield without resorting to a second wave of mobilization,” the review concluded.
