Russia has used deceptive, coercive and exploitative tactics to recruit foreign nationals into its armed forces and deploy them to fight in Ukraine, a new Amnesty International report has alleged.
The human rights organisation said the recruitment practices, in many cases, amount to human trafficking and constitute serious human rights violations requiring urgent international attention.
In a briefing published on Thursday, Amnesty International detailed how recruiters allegedly lure foreign nationals into the Russian military through false promises and misleading information about the nature of the work they would perform.
The organisation said recruiters also exploit the precarious economic and legal circumstances of migrants and refugees already living in Russia, leaving many vulnerable to manipulation and coercion.
According to the briefing, those targeted are predominantly nationals of low-income countries in the Global South, who are often attracted by promises of employment, financial security or other opportunities before being channelled into military service.
Amnesty International warned that the alleged practices highlight the broader problem of human trafficking in Russia and called on the international community to take urgent steps to prevent the exploitation and trafficking of foreign nationals for military purposes.
The organisation stressed that individuals recruited under deception, coercion or exploitation must be protected and that authorities should investigate alleged trafficking networks and hold perpetrators accountable.
