Ukraine Says Russia Recruited 27,000 from 135 Countries

Ukraine Says Russia Recruited 24,000 Foreign Fighters, About Half From Asia

Ukraine's agency dealing with prisoners of war says it holds citizens from 44 countries who were recruited to fight for Russia.

Foreign fighters in Russian ranks rise to 27,407, Ukraine says

Ukraine says Russia has recruited nearly 10,000 more foreign fighters over the past four months, bringing the total to more than 27,000 from 135 countries.

Up to 15,000 Cubans: Ukraine Reveals Scale of Russia’s Foreign Recruitment

Ukraine's military intelligence reports over 1,000 Cuban nationals recruited by Russia, with estimates reaching 15,000.

Zimbabwe: 15 Zimbabweans Killed in Russia-Ukraine War After Being Duped Into Foreign Military Recruitment

At least 15 Zimbabweans have died in the Russia-Ukraine war after being duped into joining foreign military forces through suspected human trafficking syndicates, Information Minister Soda Zhemu has revealed.

‘Bigger than some armies’: Kyiv warns of 27,000 foreign fighters on Russia’s side

"This number is larger than some armed forces in some of the European countries," says Andriy Yusov, a Ukrainian intelligence spokesperson. Many come from post-Soviet states, but around 1,800 are Africans.

Russia strips African recruits of documents, sends them to Ukraine front line, EU Parliament resolution says - Euromaidan Press

The European Parliament voted 479–17 on 12 March to condemn Russia for recruiting thousands of African, Cuban, and Central Asian nationals under false pretenses for front-line combat duty in Ukraine, classifying the practice as human trafficking.