Migrants in Donbas coerced into Russian military contracts – Atesh
Akhmat is forcing migrant workers to sign contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense (Photo: Atesh / Telegram)
Members of Russia's Akhmat units have set up a system to recruit foreign workers in temporarily occupied parts of the Donbas in order to replenish Russian frontline losses, the pro-Ukrainian partisan resistance movement Atesh reported on Telegram on July 27.
According to Atesh, fraudulent contracting companies operating out of Russia's Moscow Oblast lure labor migrants with promises of high pay for construction and reconstruction work in Mariupol and Donetsk.
Working with local occupation police, Akhmat fighters then conduct forceful raids on workers' residences, according to the group. Through document confiscation, threats, and blackmail, workers are pressured to sign contracts with Russia's armed forces for assignment to assault units.
Those who refuse to sign are handed over to relevant authorities for deportation, and all of their money is confiscated, according to the group.
The scheme's victims are predominantly migrants from Central Asia.
The BBC's Russian service reported on July 10 that at least 3,589 foreign nationals have been killed fighting for Russia in the war against Ukraine.
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