Russia is allegedly recruiting thousands of migrants and foreign students to join its forces in the conflict with Ukraine as a means of renewing their visas.
European officials claim this tactic mirrors the strategy initially employed by the Wagner mercenary group.
The report, according to Bloomberg, suggests that Russia is coercing African students and young workers by threatening not to extend their visas unless they agree to military service.
Additionally, Moscow is reportedly enlisting convicts from its prisons, and some African workers on visas have allegedly been detained and given the ultimatum of deportation or military service.
READ ALSO: BREAKING: Reps Propose Six-Year Tenure for President, Rotation Among Zones
According to one European official, some individuals have managed to avoid military conscription by bribing officials. All sources cited requested anonymity.
Russia’s practice of sending migrants and students into battle under duress dates back to earlier in the war, another European official said. Those troops suffer especially high casualty rates because they are increasingly deployed in risky offensive manoeuvres to protect more highly trained units, the official added.
A spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry didn’t respond to an email seeking comment.
According to reports citing Ukrainian intelligence, Russia has engaged in a global recruitment drive to enlist foreign mercenaries in at least 21 countries, including several nations in Africa.
Army recruitment campaigns offer lucrative signing bonuses and salaries for those who’ll join up as contract soldiers.
Recruiters have also targeted migrants and students who previously looked for employment in Russia, and in some cases, they have lured others over with promises of lucrative work before forcing them to train and deploy to the front.
Follow the Parallel Facts channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaCQSAoHgZWiDjR3Kn2E
