Lured, Recruited, Sent to Die

Kenyan national Oscar Khagola Mutoka was killed on the front lines; Cuban national Yoan Viondi Mendoza is missing. Arman Mondol managed to return home to Bangladesh. These are the stories of three young men who went to war for Russia.

According to Ukrainian intelligence, around 28,000 foreigners have been brought to fight in Russian units since 2022. They are often used as “cannon fodder,” and according to Ukrainian estimates, many survive only a few weeks on the front lines.

Even those who are taken prisoner by Ukrainian forces find themselves in a difficult situation: Neither their countries of origin, nor Ukraine or Russia are taking responsibility for them. Many of these fighters come from poor and disadvantaged backgrounds. In some cases, their paths to combat is reminiscent of human trafficking.

Despite recent reports of a freeze on recruitment from several countries, experts say that Russia’s drive to enlist foreign fighters is continuing.

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