US EditionWorkers from Bangladesh sought jobs in Russia but instead got sent to combat in Ukraine
Bangladeshi men were deceived by recruiters with false promises of civilian jobs and coerced into combat roles, with about 40 reported dead, police said.
- An Associated Press investigation found Bangladeshi migrant workers were lured to Russia with false promises of civilian jobs, then forced into combat in Ukraine, confirmed by visas, contracts, and dog tags.
- Many men paid steep fees, including 1.2 million taka, about $9,800, after local recruiters promised $1,000 to $1,500 monthly pay and residency in impoverished Bangladeshi communities.
- Upon arrival, workers say they were coerced into signing Russian-language military contracts, taken to army camps for drone tactics and three days of training, then forced into front-line duties.
- Families filed complaints and Bangladeshi police and investigators opened probes after a return last year; about 40 may have died, and a charged Bangladeshi national with Russian citizenship in Moscow faces prosecution.
- The scope remains uncertain as the exact number of Bangladeshis fighting for Russia varies, investigators traced trafficking to local intermediaries and SP Global, and officials say Russia targeted men from India and Nepal.
28 Articles
28 Articles
Russian recruiters under the guise of civilian job offers lure Bangladeshi citizens to Russia, and then forcibly send them to war against Ukraine.
Bangladeshis who arrived in Russia in search of jobs are joining the war against Ukraine. Bangladeshis are being recruited into the Russian army, an investigation has revealed.
The Associated Press Agency spoke to three Bangladeshis who told them they were being tricked into signing...
For example, they are told that they will be civilian cleaners in a barracks. But as soon as they sign the papers in Cyrillic, they are whisked away to training and then to the front.
Bangladeshi workers are attracted to Russia by the promise of ordinary and peaceful work, but when they arrive, they are forced to participate in the war against Ukraine.
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