foreign mercenaries

HUR troops capture Nigerian soldier fighting for Russia in Zaporizhzhya sector — video

Troops from the Freedom of Russia Legion, a unit operating under Ukraine’s HUR military intelligence agency, have captured a Nigerian-born fighter in the Zaporizhzhya sector who was serving with Russia’s 503rd Guards Motor Rifle Regiment, HUR reported on July 5.

5 July 2025, 09:57 PM

UN flags concerns over publicized POW videos in Ukraine

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has voiced concern over the publication of videos featuring Russian prisoners of war held in Ukraine, the organization wrote in its report, published on June 30.

1 July 2025, 11:22 AM

Ukrainian forces capture two Cameroonian mercenaries fighting for Russia - video

Ukrainian soldiers have captured two Cameroonian citizens — Metugene Una-na Jean Pafe and Anatole Frank on the Siversk axis (Donetsk Oblast), soldiers from the 20th Separate Drone Systems Regiment reported on Facebook on June 29.

30 June 2025, 09:02 AM

Chinese POW says his Russian bank account was frozen

Wang Guangjun, a Chinese citizen captured by Ukrainian forces on the battlefield, said he “followed someone else’s ideas” and ended up serving in the Russian military.

26 April 2025, 01:08 AM

Chinese POWs posted videos of their enlistment, training in Russia

Chinese nationals captured by Ukraine on the battlefield have previously recorded and published snippets from their journey to enlist in the Russian military and fight against Ukraine, public broadcaster Suspilne reported on April 16.

17 April 2025, 02:04 AM

Paid 300,000 rubles: Chinese POW explains how and why he ended up in Russia’s army

A Chinese national captured by Ukraine’s Defense Forces said he paid 300,000 rubles — more than $2,000 — to join Russia’s army through an intermediary in China, NV’s sister publication Ukrainska Pravda reported on April 9, citing the Luhansk Operational-Tactical Group.

9 April 2025, 06:00 PM

Ukraine approves new screening rules for foreigners in armed forces, including mandatory polygraph

Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers approved new polygraph screening rules for foreign recruits, MP Oleksii Honcharenko announced on Feb. 11.

11 February 2025, 06:22 PM

Nearly 430k soldiers join Russian army in 2024 - Ukraine’s Defense Ministry

Russia’s armed forces recruited at least 427k soldiers, averaging 36,000 new troops per month, Ukraine's First Deputy Defense Minister, Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk said in an interview with Ukrinform published on Feb. 7.

7 February 2025, 01:50 PM

Indian national recruited by Russia killed in Ukraine, another injured

An Indian citizen recruited by Russia has died fighting in Ukraine, while another has been injured and is undergoing treatment in Moscow, according to India’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Jan. 14.

14 January 2025, 11:51 PM

Putin blocks Syrian mercenaries from leaving Ukraine to support Assad regime — Center for National Resistance

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has refused to provide military assistance to Bashar al-Assad's regime, rejecting a request to deploy Syrian mercenaries, stationed in Ukraine'a occupied territories, National Resistance Center (NRC) wrote on Dec. 10.

11 December 2024, 08:04 AM

Belarus state propaganda stokes invasion fears

Minsk state propaganda outlets are claiming that Belarusian opposition is preparing to invade the country from abroad and attempt a coup, as seen from a Nov. 20 report by state TV channel Belta.

20 November 2024, 11:36 PM

Cuban nationals fight for Russia in Ukraine's Kherson Oblast - Russian media

Cuban nationals are reportedly fighting alongside Russian forces, an article published by Russian media outlet Meduza, wrote on Oct. 21.

21 October 2024, 03:15 PM

Russia continues recruiting foreign mercenaries to fight in Ukraine

Citizens of African and Middle Eastern countries, recruited by Moscow to fight in Ukraine, are frequently captured by Ukrainian troops on the battlefield, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Oct. 8.

8 October 2024, 11:34 PM

Russia jails 72-year-old US citizen for alleged Ukraine affiliation

A Russian court has sentenced 72-year-old U.S. citizen Stephen Hubbard to six years and 10 months in prison for allegedly engaging in "mercenary activities," Reuters reported on Oct. 7.

8 October 2024, 04:58 PM

Dutch rapper wins court battle to terminate Russian military service contract

A Danish citizen who moved to Russia has won a court case to terminate his service contract with the Russian Defense Ministry after getting deployed to Ukraine, Russian outlet Mediazona reported on Aug. 22.

22 August 2024, 10:48 PM

Russian forces deploy Egyptian mercenaries in Vovchansk

Russia has deployed Egyptian mercenaries for combat operations in Vovchansk, Kharkiv Oblast, the Kharkiv Operational and Tactical Group of troops reported on Telegram on Aug. 4.

4 August 2024, 03:45 PM

Ukrainian Presidential Office condemns silence on North Korean troops and Russian ‘peacekeeping’ summit invite

The Ukrainian Presidential Office criticized the lack of international response to North Korea’s military cooperation with Russia and the deployment of North Korean troops to Ukraine, while denouncing the UN’s invitation to sanctioned Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev to a peacekeeping summit, Presidential Office Advisor Mykhailo Podolyak wrote on Telegram on June 27.

27 June 2024, 02:14 PM

Russia steps up recruiting Africans to fight in Ukraine — British Intelligence

Russia stepped up on recruitment of Africans for the war against Ukraine to avoid mobilization within Russia, stated report by UK Ministry of Defense on X on June 10.

10 June 2024, 03:01 PM

Slovak citizen fighting for Russia surrenders to Ukrainian forces

A Slovak citizen who volunteered to fight on Russia’s side has surrendered to Ukrainian forces, Ukrainian journalist Aleksandr Kachura reported on June 1.

4 June 2024, 01:08 AM

Russia boosts recruitment of foreign mercenaries for war against Ukraine — HUR

Russia has significantly intensified the recruitment of foreign mercenaries for the war against Ukraine, targeting manpower in Central Africa, including Rwanda, Burundi, Congo, and Uganda, the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine (HUR) reported on Telegram on May 28.

28 May 2024, 07:30 PM

foreign mercenaries

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