Russia is reportedly forcing thousands of migrants and foreign students to fight in Ukraine in return for visa renewals. European authorities, as reported by Bloomberg, claim that the Kremlin is using international students as additional labor, a tactic previously employed by the Wagner mercenary group.
Officials familiar with the situation say that Russia has threatened African students and young workers with visa denial unless they join the military. Moreover, Moscow has been recruiting prisoners from Russian jails and coercing Africans with work visas into choosing between deportation or combat, according to a European diplomat.
One anonymous official mentioned that some individuals have managed to bribe their way out of military service while staying in the country.
Sources citing Ukrainian intelligence indicate that Russia has initiated a global campaign to recruit foreign mercenaries from at least 21 countries, including several African nations. This military recruitment offers substantial signing bonuses and salaries for those willing to serve as contract soldiers.
Recruiters have also been targeting migrants and students who previously sought jobs in Russia, sometimes luring them with promises of well-paid work only to force them into military training and deployment to the front lines.
