From Colombia to Zimbabwe: Russia Recruits Thousands of Foreigners for War Against Ukraine
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Russia has recruited almost 46,000 foreigners from 151 countries into its army. In just nine months of 2026, over 16,000 foreign citizens signed contracts with the Russian Armed Forces — more than in the entire previous year.
This was announced by the Secretary of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, Brigadier General Dmytro Usov, as quoted by the Coordination Headquarters press service.
According to the “I Want to Live” project, as of October 1, the identities of 45,959 foreigners who signed contracts with the Russian army have been identified. These are citizens of 151 countries, as well as representatives of unrecognized territories.
How did the recruitment of foreigners increase?
The number of foreigners joining the Russian army increased every year. According to the Coordination Headquarters, the dynamics were as follows:
- in 2022 — 94 people;
- in 2023 – 4067;
- in 2024 – 8877;
- in 2025 — 16,085;
- for the first nine months of 2026 – 16,168.
So, in the first three quarters of 2026, Russia attracted more foreign contractors than in all of 2025.
According to intelligence, this year the Russian Federation plans to recruit 18,500 foreigners. Currently, about 1,800 citizens of other countries join the Russian army every month. If this trend continues, the plan may be exceeded in November, and by the end of the year the number of new contract soldiers may increase to 21,500.
Russia has recruited the most foreigners in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Belarus. At the same time, the pace of recruitment is growing particularly rapidly in African and Latin American countries.
In particular, in the first nine months of 2026, 1,449 Colombian citizens, 699 Burundian citizens, 530 Zimbabwean citizens, and 503 Peruvian citizens signed contracts with the Russian army.
What is known about the foreigners who were captured?
Since the start of the full-scale war, citizens of 59 countries have been captured by Ukraine. A survey of foreign prisoners of war conducted by the “I Want to Live” project showed that the reasons for joining the Russian army and the circumstances of recruitment varied.
In particular, 46.7% of those surveyed signed a contract in order to obtain Russian citizenship. At the same time, only 28% said they did not know that they would be sent to fight against Ukraine.
Another 41.4% of foreigners were recruited through military enlistment offices and selection points. The Coordination Headquarters considers this evidence of the direct involvement of Russian state structures in the involvement of foreigners in the war.
According to the survey, 48.8% of prisoners of war fell into the hands of Ukrainian forces after being wounded, and 79% want to return to Russia as part of a prisoner exchange.
The Coordination Headquarters notes that Russia attracts foreigners with promises of citizenship and cash payments, after which it sends them on assaults. At the same time, those who survive and are captured are effectively left without support.
It was previously reported that, according to the “I Want to Live” project, among Russian prisoners of war in Ukraine there are citizens of 55 countries of the world. Thus, approximately every tenth captured Russian soldier has foreign citizenship.
In addition, the Kremlin has stepped up its recruitment of citizens of Peru and other Latin American countries to participate in the war against Ukraine. Recruiters lure them with promises of high-paying jobs, social guarantees, and quick Russian citizenship.
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