Allegedly, Russia is deploying thousands of migrants and foreign students to join its troops in the conflict against Ukraine as a prerequisite for visa renewal, as reported by Bloomberg.
According to the business news platform, European officials claim that the Kremlin is employing tactics reminiscent of the Wagner mercenary group, utilizing threats to withhold visa extensions for African students and young workers unless they agree to military service.
Furthermore, Russian authorities have purportedly enlisted convicts from prisons and detained African workers on visas, coercing them into either deportation or combat roles. Some individuals have managed to stay in the country by bribing officials to avoid military conscription, sources familiar with the matter revealed anonymously.
This practice of conscripting migrants and students into military service under duress has been ongoing since earlier stages of the conflict, with these troops often enduring high casualty rates due to their involvement in hazardous offensive operations to shield more seasoned units, stated another European official.
Despite Russia’s recruitment efforts, President Vladimir Putin’s forces have faced challenges in northeastern Ukraine, experiencing significant casualties, according to UK Ministry of Defence estimates. The casualty rate on the Russian side has been notably high, surpassing 1,200 individuals per day in May alone. Bloomberg cannot independently verify these statistics.
During a recent meeting with foreign media, Putin suggested that around 10,000 Russian troops are killed or wounded each month, with Ukrainian losses purportedly five times higher. Despite these setbacks, Russia has intensified its bombing campaign in Kharkiv, aiming to render the city uninhabitable, while Putin has refrained from a full-scale mobilization, relying instead on voluntary recruitment drives to replenish its ranks.
Meanwhile, countries like Nepal and India have been affected by the recruitment efforts, with Nepali citizens reportedly lured to Russia for work and subsequently conscripted into military service. Ukrainian officials have observed an increase in foreign fighters among captured prisoners, particularly from Africa and Nepal.
The Group of Seven nations plans to discuss these developments at an upcoming summit in Italy, aiming to garner more support for Ukraine from countries in the Global South. However, many of these nations have remained neutral, despite Moscow’s efforts to sway their populations through disinformation campaigns.
Reuters previously reported on the recruitment of African citizens by the Wagner group, tracing the stories of individuals from Tanzania, Zambia, and the Ivory Coast. With approximately 35,000-37,000 African students currently in Russia, the situation has raised concerns about the welfare and safety of foreign nationals in the country.
