Russia preparing to recruit thousands of foreign fighters in 2026 — new intelligence reveals scope
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Moscow is preparing to recruit at least 18,500 foreigners into Russia's Armed Forces in 2026, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, known by its Ukrainian acronym HUR, revealed on April 28.
Moscow has been recruiting foreign fighters from developing countries since the start of its full-scale invasion in 2022, often under the guise of soldiers receiving high salaries, benefits, and Russian citizenship. Reports of forced coercion and undue pressure have also been documented in the recruitment of foreigners.
The intelligence report, gathered under the 24-hour "I Want to Live" hotline project which encourages those fighting on Russia's side to surrender to Ukrainian forces, suggests that the Kremlin will primarily seek to target citizens living in Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan.
According to Ukraine's HUR, Russia will also continue to ramp up its recruitment from developing countries in Asia and Africa, focusing recruitment in Bangladesh, Chad, Sudan, and Burundi.
Moscow has provided specific mobilization targets for enlistment officers with an aim of having foreign fighters compose between 0.5% and 3.5% of personnel in any one given area of the front line, depending on the region, HUR reported.
According to the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, Ukraine has identified 27,407 foreign nationals fighting for Russia in its war against Ukraine as of March 30, up from more than 18,000 in November, with Moscow recruiting them from at least 135 countries.
Earlier in March, the headquarters said nearly half of the foreign fighters it had identified came from Asia, though recruits have also been identified in EU member states, including Italy.
While the full extent of the recruitment efforts are not verifiable, an April 2025 investigation by Russian independent outlet Important Stories identified more than 1,500 foreign fighters from 48 countries who had joined Russia's army.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in February that at least 1,780 citizens of various African countries are fighting for Russia.
North Korea remains largest contributor of foreign troops to Russia's war effort, having previously deployed 12,000 troops to aid in a Russian-led counter-offensive in Kursk Oblast.
