As Ukraine’s war enters its fifth year, the key challenge for both Moscow and Kyiv is no longer just territory—it’s manpower.
Both Russia and Ukraine confront a growing . Western estimates place Ukrainian military casualties at around 500,000 to 600,000 since 2022, with over 100,000 killed, while Russia is thought to have endured some 1.2 million casualties. Recent analyses suggest combined battlefield losses for both sides could now be nearing two million.
In an exclusive statement to Digital, the Ukrainian human rights group Truth Hounds has stated that Russia is increasingly targeting vulnerable foreign nationals—including recruits from —using coercive and misleading recruitment tactics that in some instances could constitute human trafficking.
“Recruitment patterns across various countries and regions are very similar,” Truth Hounds noted. “We can define two main groups of foreign fighters: first, those already in Russia, like students and migrant workers; second, those recruited in their home countries.”
The organization reports that many recruits were promised civilian roles with far higher pay than in their home nations, only to be forced later to sign military contracts in Russian without any translation.
“In many of these cases—whether recruitment occurs inside or outside Russia—there are numerous facts pointing to possible human trafficking,” the group stated.
Truth Hounds has documented cases where individuals detained in Russia were beaten, tortured, or otherwise pressured into signing military contracts.
“Given these conditions, it’s hard to call their enlistment in the voluntary. Instead, these cases involve forcing people into military service and exploiting them—patterns that are consistent in documented Russian recruitment practices worldwide,” the organization explained.
The group referenced data from Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War showing that over 18,000 foreigners had joined the Russian military by late last year, with the number still rising. Truth Hounds added that its interviews with foreign POWs—including some from African countries—uncovered similar recruitment patterns.
A from February 2026 found that nearly 1,500 Africans were recruited between 2023 and mid-2025; 316 of them died due to a few kilometers of snow in Ukraine, a 22% loss rate. Many more are missing or out of contact with their families.
The organization also warned that not all foreign recruits were forced to serve, noting that some joined with a complete understanding of their trip to Russia and the contract terms—though the exact proportion is unknown.
These allegations emerge as African leaders have started publicly addressing the issue. is set to confront Russian officials about the recruitment of Kenyan citizens, while South African President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed concerns to Russian President Vladimir Putin after receiving distress calls from South African nationals believed to be trapped in the conflict, per Reuters.
Truth Hounds states that the involves a complex intersection of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Those who sign contracts with Russia’s Ministry of Defense are considered armed forces members and qualify for POW protections—but some cases may also meet human trafficking criteria, raising further legal issues.
“The core question is how to effectively halt Russia’s recruitment of these individuals and hold it responsible for the destroyed lives of those already affected,” the organization said.
Moscow has previously stated that foreign nationals can voluntarily join its armed forces. It has not publicly admitted to using coercive recruitment methods.
As the war drags on, the fight for manpower is extending beyond Europe’s borders, drawing in vulnerable communities from Africa and Asia and creating new diplomatic and legal hurdles for governments far from the front lines.