(../../../../favicon_aje.ico) Amnesty accuses Russia of trafficking foreigners to fight in Ukraine | Russia-Ukraine war News | Al Jazeera    (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/10/amnesty-accuses-russia-of-trafficking-foreigners-to-fight-in-ukraine)                                               (https://www.aljazeera.com/xml/rss/all.xml)  (https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2026/9/10/amnesty-accuses-russia-of-trafficking-foreigners-to-fight-in-ukraine)  (https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/afp_69a081ca4b09-1772126666.jpg?resize=1920%2C1440)  (../../../../wp-content/uploads/2026/02/afp_69a081ca4b09-1772126666.jpg@resize=770,513&quality=80)     (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org/scripttemplates/otSDKStub.js) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (../../../../static/css/vendor~main~d08ff9cb.24bf1742.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~748942c6.6c6e15fe.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~b07b7304.e3bc53a0.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~6e6dca10.74fd263a.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~5db14389.c7afea12.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/media/Roboto-Bold.52bb58c8.woff2) (../../../../static/media/Roboto-Regular.c5bf51b6.woff2)  (../../../../static/css/vendor~aje/containers/home-page~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-blo~5f903362.2e08e417.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/component~aje/containers/home-page~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-~41c72a2c.3f309873.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/component~aje/containers/home-page~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-~06be7c11.0625e98d.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/common~493df0b3.ec3ab9b5.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/pages/article-page~493df0b3.accd71c7.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/common~493df0b3.ec3ab9b5.r2.chunk.css)   Skip links (amnesty-accuses-russia-of-trafficking-foreigners-to-fight-in-ukraine@traffic_source=rss.html#main-content-area) Skip to Content  (https://www.aljazeera.com/)          (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/live) play    Live    Sign up  Show navigation menu     Navigation menu (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/) News    Show more news sections  (https://www.aljazeera.com/africa/) Africa   (https://www.aljazeera.com/asia/) Asia   (https://www.aljazeera.com/us-canada/) US & Canada   (https://www.aljazeera.com/latin-america/) Latin America   (https://www.aljazeera.com/europe/) Europe   (https://www.aljazeera.com/asia-pacific/) Asia Pacific      (https://www.aljazeera.com/middle-east/) Middle East   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/explainer/) Explained   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sports) Sport   (https://www.aljazeera.com/opinion/) Opinion   (https://www.aljazeera.com/videos/) Video   More   Show more sections  (https://www.aljazeera.com/features/) Features   (https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/) Economy   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/human-rights/) Human Rights   (https://www.aljazeera.com/climate-crisis) Climate Crisis   (https://www.aljazeera.com/investigations/) Investigations   (https://www.aljazeera.com/interactives/) Interactives   (https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/) In Pictures   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/science-and-technology/) Science & Technology   (https://www.aljazeera.com/audio/podcasts) Podcasts   (https://www.aljazeera.com/travel) Travel   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sponsored/) Sponsored Content        (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/live) play    Live    Click here to search search     Sign up        Navigation menu caret-left    (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/ukraine-russia-crisis/) Russia-Ukraine war    (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/inside-story/2026/5/30/is-the-war-in-ukraine-entering-a-new-phase-2) Is the war entering a new phase?   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Listen   Listen (3 mins)       Save       Share Amnesty accuses Russia of trafficking foreigners to fight in Ukraine on social media share-nodes    Share (https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2F1ytg57) facebook      (https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Amnesty%20accuses%20Russia%20of%20trafficking%20foreigners%20to%20fight%20in%20Ukraine&source=sharethiscom&related=sharethis&via=AJEnglish&url=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2F1ytg57) x    (whatsapp://send?text=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2F1ytg57) whatsapp-stroke    (https://aje.news/1ytg57)  copylink          google       Add Al Jazeera on Google  info      (Relatives of Kenyan nationals conscripted by the Russian army in Ukraine pose with photos of their family members during a prayer and peaceful demonstration demanding urgent government action to repatriate their kin, in Nairobi on February 19, 2026.)   Relatives hold photos of Kenyan nationals conscripted by the Russian army to fight in the Ukraine war, in a demonstration calling for their return in February 2026 [File: AFP]   (https://www.aljazeera.com/author/al_jazeera_staff_150119130629458)     By  (https://www.aljazeera.com/author/al_jazeera_staff_150119130629458) Al Jazeera Staff , AFPand DPA   Published On 10 Sep 2026 10 Sep 2026    A new report by Amnesty International has accused Russia of tricking foreigners into fighting on Ukraine’s front lines in what amounts to “human trafficking”. Victims from Brazil, Colombia, Sri Lanka and South Africa were duped into travelling to Russia to take up well-paid civilian or non-combat jobs, then forced to join the Russian army on arrival, according to the report released on Thursday. Recommended Stories list of 3 items list 1 of 3 (https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2026/3/5/our-children-were-sold-off-the-south-africans-sent-to-fight-russias-war) ‘Our children were sold off’: The South Africans sent to fight Russia’s war  list 2 of 3 (https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2026/5/14/zimbabweans-lured-into-russias-war-as-families-plead-for-their-return) Zimbabweans lured into Russia’s war as families plead for their return  list 3 of 3 (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/22/russia-falters-in-ukraine) Russia ‘looking for new soldiers’; Kyiv claims 83,000 dead so far in 2026   end of list  Russian recruiters also targeted migrants and refugees in Russia and coerced them into joining the military, the report said. “Amnesty’s research demonstrates how Russia’s Armed Forces are bolstering their ranks with economically vulnerable foreign nationals and using them as cannon fodder in the war of aggression against Ukraine,” said Agnes Callamard, Amnesty International’s secretary general. “The level of exploitation and coercion involved led us to conclude that in many cases this amounts to human trafficking, as defined under the [United Nations] Palermo Protocol,” Callamard added. Fraud and deception Amnesty International interviewed prisoners of war at two Ukrainian camps between 2024 and 2026. The rights group also spoke with foreign nationals currently serving with Russian forces and members of their families as well as lawyers, human rights activists and journalists. It found local agents and misleading online job advertisements were used to deceive foreign nationals in their home countries.      A South African man who applied online for a driving job in Poland was told to fly to Moscow to pick up a truck and drive it to Poland. His wife told Amnesty International: “Upon arrival to Moscow, everything was taken from him. He was told that he would not be going to Poland and that he is becoming a soldier.” Advertisement    Many recruits were promised lucrative salaries and sign-up bonuses that were not fulfilled. All the interviewees said their freedom of movement was severely restricted after signing military contracts. During training, recruits from Brazil and Sri Lanka said their passports and mobile phones were taken from them before being sent to the front line. Cannon fodder Both Russia and Ukraine have recruited thousands of foreign nationals into their armies since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine four-and-a-half years ago. Amnesty says it cannot conduct inquiries about foreigners in Ukraine’s army as it has no access to prisoners of war held in Russia, which designates Amnesty as a “foreign agent”. An estimated 28,000 foreigners from 136 countries are said to be fighting in the Russian army and officials believe Russia deployed some 14,000 North Korean troops to battle Ukraine’s 2024 incursion into the Kursk region. Meanwhile, Ukraine says 16,000 foreign nationals from more than 70 countries – including nearly 40 percent from Latin America – are currently serving in the Ukrainian army. Russia has previously dismissed accusations of coercing foreigners into joining its army.            aj-logo             aj-logo             aj-logo       Advertisement          About About   Show more  (https://www.aljazeera.com/about-us) About Us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/code-of-ethics/) Code of Ethics   (https://www.aljazeera.com/terms-and-conditions/) Terms and Conditions   (https://www.aljazeera.com/eu-eea-regulatory/) EU/EEA Regulatory Notice   (https://privacy.aljazeera.net/) Privacy Policy   (https://privacy.aljazeera.net/cookie/) Cookie Policy   (https://www.aljazeera.com/) Cookie Preferences    (https://trust.aljazeera.net/accessibility/) Accessibility Statement   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sitemap) Sitemap   (https://careers.aljazeera.net/) Work for us      Connect Connect   Show more  (https://network.aljazeera.net/en/contact?tid=6) Contact Us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/user-accounts-help) User Accounts Help   (https://commercial.aljazeera.net/) Advertise with us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/stay-connected) Stay Connected   (https://www.aljazeera.com/newsletters) Newsletters   (https://sat.aljazeera.net/en) Channel Finder   (https://www.aljazeera.com/schedule/) TV Schedule   (https://www.aljazeera.com/podcasts/) Podcasts   (https://webapps.aljazeera.net/aje/tips/) Submit a Tip   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sponsored) Paid Partner Content      Our Channels Our Channels   Show more  (http://aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Arabic   (https://www.aljazeera.com/) Al Jazeera English   (https://www.ajiunit.com/) Al Jazeera Investigative Unit   (https://www.aljazeeramubasher.net/) Al Jazeera Mubasher   (http://doc.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Documentary   (http://balkans.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Balkans   (http://ajplus.net/) AJ+      Our Network Our Network   Show more  (http://studies.aljazeera.net/en/) Al Jazeera Centre for Studies   (http://training.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Media Institute   (http://learning.aljazeera.net/) Learn Arabic   (http://liberties.aljazeera.com/en) Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights   (http://forum.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Forum   (https://hotels.aljazeera.net/en) Al Jazeera Hotel Partners        Follow Al Jazeera English: (https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera) facebook       (https://twitter.com/ajenglish) twitter     (https://www.youtube.com/aljazeeraenglish) youtube     (https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/?hl=en) instagram-colored-outline                          (https://www.aljazeera.com/xml/rss/all.xml) rss     (https://bsky.app/profile/aljazeera.com) bluesky     (https://www.tiktok.com/@aljazeeraenglish) tiktok-colored-outline                  (Al Jazeera Media Network logo)   © 2026 Al Jazeera Media Network