Russia bans mercenary recruitment in select countries, report says
REUTERS/Alexie Pavlishak
Russian authorities have compiled a "blacklist" of
countries whose citizens are barred from being recruited
as mercenaries to fight in Ukraine, independent Russian outlet Important
Stories reported on Feb. 23.
According to the report, recruiters began circulating a list in early January 2026, naming 36 countries whose nationals should not be offered contracts with the Russian military this year. The list reportedly includes mainly African and Arab states and other countries seen as friendly to Moscow, such as China, India, Brazil, South Africa, Turkey, Cuba, Afghanistan, Venezuela, and Iran.
The journalists added it was unclear who authorized the list or at what level the determination was made; it may have resulted from diplomatic contacts between the Kremlin and other governments.
The report notes that since mid‑2024, Nepal, India, and Sri Lanka had asked Moscow to stop recruiting their citizens; Russia subsequently pledged not to recruit Indians and Sri Lankans. In November 2025, Jordan made a similar request and was soon added to the list, the IS said.
Kenya, an important source of foreign fighters for Russia, also appears on the list.
“The Kenyan government publicly called on Russia to stop its recruitment campaign in February this year,” the report said. It added that UK national Ben Stimson, who trains African recruits serving in the Russian army, spoke in January about bans on recruiting Kenyans and Nigerians.
The list may have expanded in February beyond the 36 named countries. Iraqi blogger Mustafa al‑Yasari, who exposes Russian recruitment networks, published a longer version of the list and, citing a Russian officer, said Argentina, Iraq, Yemen, Cameroon, Colombia, Libya, and Somalia were also ruled out as recruiting grounds. However, at least one Russian regional recruitment center was still enlisting people from Colombia, according to the report.
Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service previously said that by the end of 2025 more than 1,400 citizens of 36 African countries were fighting on Russia's side.
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