Putin’s Foreign Legion: Recruits From 128 Nations Fight Against Ukraine

Russia has recruited nationals from 128 countries to fight in its war against Ukraine, according to Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD), a government agency operating under the National Security and Defense Council.

Since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, Russia has built a transnational recruitment network using fraudulent enlistment centers, private firms, and official diplomatic or cultural institutions.

The CCD states that many foreign nationals have been drawn into the war through deception, coercion, or promises of financial compensation.

According to the CCD’s latest figures, the largest contingent of foreign fighters comes from North Korea, with an estimated 12,000 individuals. Significant numbers have also been recruited from Central Asian countries:

• Uzbekistan – 2,715 fighters

• Tajikistan – 1,599 fighters

• Kazakhstan – 1,190 fighters

• Kyrgyzstan – 687 fighters

Additionally, the report notes the participation of 1,338 Belarusian citizens in combat operations on Russia’s side.

The CCD report highlights that Russia’s foreign recruitment is not incidental but follows a systematic approach involving official state actors and private military companies.

These include entities operating under the guise of employment agencies or cultural exchanges, often targeting economically vulnerable populations.

“Russia has constructed a global system for recruiting foreign nationals, using fraud and criminal mechanisms,” the CCD said in a statement posted on its official Telegram channel. “Citizens from dozens of countries—spanning from Asia to Africa—have been involved. Many of them have been killed or captured during combat.”

Earlier, Russia increased its online recruitment efforts aimed at foreign nationals, with the number of ads rising more than sevenfold since the summer. By mid-2025, every third military contract advertisement targeted foreigners, particularly from Central Asia, Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East.

Many recruits were promised non-combat roles such as construction or logistics but were later deployed to assault units after minimal training.

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