All articles tagged with #foreign fighters
At Munich, Rubio warned Russia is losing about 7,000–8,000 troops weekly (dead, not wounded) in Ukraine, and UK officials say Moscow is recruiting foreign fighters to sustain the war as losses outpace recruitment, signaling a protracted conflict with Ukraine enduring severe energy infrastructure damage.
Bloomberg reports Moscow is increasingly relying on foreign fighters—including mercenaries and thousands of North Korean troops—to replenish its ranks after rising battlefield losses in Ukraine. Western officials say casualty ratios have worsened, and total Russian combat losses since February 2022 are cited as about 1.25 million.
As Ukrainian casualties mount, Moscow expands conscription and authorizes year‑round drafts while leaning on reservists to guard infrastructure; Russia also relies on contract soldiers and foreign recruits to replenish forces, aiming to avoid nationwide mobilization amid budget limits and political risk, even as casualty patterns increasingly impact provinces outside Moscow.
Russia is offering high pay, bonuses, tax breaks, and accelerated citizenship to recruit for its war in Ukraine, tapping both volunteers and foreigners (including prisoners). While Moscow claims enlistment is voluntary, rights groups allege coercion and trafficking in recruitment, raising questions about the true voluntariness of contracts as the Kremlin seeks to replenish forces without a nationwide mobilization.
A BBC investigation shows Yemenis lured to Russia with promises of money, fast-tracked citizenship, and safety end up fighting in Ukraine. The stories of Khalil and Hussein illustrate a recruitment pipeline that exploits poverty, misleads families with false deaths, and traps men in contracts that extend beyond their control as Russia widens its foreign-fighter program. Dozens of Yemenis have been killed or imprisoned, while many families struggle to locate loved ones, face ongoing uncertainty, and cope with the collapse of Yemen and the fighters’ shattered futures.
South Africans, including a group of young men, were allegedly tricked into fighting for Russia in Ukraine by Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, daughter of former South African president Jacob Zuma, leading to outrage and concern over deception and the risks faced by these foreign fighters.
Ukrainian President Zelensky reported that Russian forces in northeastern Ukraine include foreign mercenaries from countries such as China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and several African nations, prompting Ukraine to prepare a response. The presence of foreign fighters is part of Russia's broader recruitment efforts, with reports indicating thousands of foreign nationals participating in the conflict on both sides. Zelensky emphasized the importance of drone technology and troop recruitment in ongoing battles near the Russian border.
Foreign fighters, including Ukrainian, British, American, Canadian, Irish, and Australian soldiers, stormed a trench in Ukraine, killing 22 Russian soldiers and capturing two. The intense drone footage captured the brutal assault near Avdiivka, Eastern Ukraine, where the foreign fighters faced heavy resistance and drone bombardment. The footage showed the fighters advancing through the trenches, engaging in intense combat, and ultimately completing their mission. The city of Avdiivka has become a deadly flashpoint in the ongoing conflict between Ukrainian and Russian forces, with reports of house-to-house fighting and a Russian offensive tightening the noose around the city.
As many as 15,000 Nepali men have been recruited by Russia to fight in its war against Ukraine, with promises of a $2,000 monthly salary and a fast-tracked process to obtain a Russian passport. Many have returned traumatized, while some have not returned at all. Families of these fighters are desperate for information and assistance, as hundreds of them have lost contact with their loved ones in Russia. The Nepali government has banned its citizens from traveling to Russia for work and has urged Moscow to address their concerns, but so far, little action has been taken.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has welcomed hardened Colombian fighters to bolster the depleted ranks of Ukraine's military in its ongoing war with Russia. Colombian soldiers, some of the world's most experienced due to their country's long-running conflicts, are attracted by the significantly higher pay and benefits offered by Ukraine compared to their home country. However, the involvement of Colombian fighters in Ukraine has raised concerns about their safety and the impact on their families, as well as the difficulty for relatives to obtain information about their loved ones serving in the conflict.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has called for foreign fighters to join the war with Russia, leading to Colombian soldiers, experienced from fighting drug-trafficking cartels and rebel groups, bolstering Ukraine's ranks. With economic motivations and better pay, hundreds of retired Colombian soldiers have joined the Ukrainian army, receiving higher salaries and compensation for injuries compared to their home country. However, concerns arise as some Colombian fighters have gone missing in action, leaving their families desperate for information about their loved ones.
Jonathan Tseng, a Taiwanese soldier, joined the war in Ukraine to prepare for a potential conflict with China, drawing parallels between the threat from China and the situation in Ukraine. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, foreign fighters have joined the struggle, motivated by various reasons such as the desire for glory on the battlefield or the belief in an unjust war.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a decree that allows foreign nationals who fight for Russia in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine to obtain Russian citizenship for themselves and their families. This move is seen as an incentive for foreigners with military experience to join Russian forces, as Moscow faces significant troop losses, with a U.S. intelligence report estimating 315,000 Russian casualties. The decree covers those who sign up for at least a year and includes their spouses, children, and parents. The exact number of foreign fighters on Russia's side is unknown, but the initiative suggests a strategy to bolster Russian military ranks without further mobilization, which has been a contentious issue domestically.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree allowing foreign fighters serving in the Russian military the right to apply for Russian citizenship. This move comes as Russia faces significant troop losses in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, estimated at around 300,000 soldiers. The decree aims to bolster the ranks with foreign manpower, as Russia seeks to avoid widespread conscription and maintain the narrative of a "special military operation." Recruitment efforts have extended to former Soviet states, the Caucasus, and even domestic prisons, with groups like the Wagner mercenary organization playing a key role. The decree also covers relatives of foreign fighters, signaling a strategic shift as the conflict enters its third year with increased challenges in troop discipline and cohesion.
Spanish government researchers have identified 357 foreign fighters who went missing during the Spanish Civil War. The identified combatants fought within the International Brigades, with 212 fighters confirmed from Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands. The research, funded by the Catalan regional government, aims to contribute to the country's historical memory and locate the remains of these fighters in mass graves across Spain. The second phase of the project will focus on identifying missing militiamen from Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, and the United States. The Spanish Civil War served as a testing ground for Hitler's Germany and Mussolini's Italy, and nearly 10,000 foreign volunteers died in combat on Spanish soil during the war.