mercenaries

Russia plans to recruit nearly 20,000 foreign mercenaries in 2026 — HUR

Moscow expects to recruit at least 18,500 foreign nationals into its armed forces in 2026, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) said on April 28.

28 April, 08:34 PM

Wagner–linked base spotted in Bulgaria

Bulgarian activists say they have uncovered a compound affiliated with Russia’s Wagner Group private military company in the mountains above the village of Kladnitsa in Pernik Province, local news outlet Novinite reported on Feb. 9.

10 February, 02:14 AM

Russia recruits 18,000 foreigners to fight in Ukraine—report

By the end of 2025, Russia had hired 18,000 foreign mercenaries from 128 countries to bolster its war effort against Ukraine, and an estimated 3,300 of them have been killed, The Telegraph reported on Jan. 26.

27 January, 02:23 AM

Swiss citizen convicted for fighting in Ukraine

A military court in Meilen, Switzerland, has handed an 18-month suspended sentence to 49-year-old Swiss citizen Avi M. for serving as a sniper with the Ukrainian Armed Forces, public broadcaster SRF reported on Dec. 18.

19 December 2025, 01:12 AM

Kenya asks for Kyiv’s help in repatriating nationals recruited by Russia

Kenyan President William Ruto asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to help secure the return of Kenyan citizens whom Russia has illegally recruited to fight in Ukraine, Ruto said in a Twitter post on Nov. 6.

7 November 2025, 11:55 PM

Ukraine, Moldova expose hundreds of Wagner mercenary fighters

Ukrainian and Moldovan authorities have identified 654 mercenaries who fought in Russian private military companies Wagner Group and Redut during a joint operation Avengers-2, Ukraine’s National Police announced on Oct. 30.

30 October 2025, 10:53 PM

Russia recruits soldiers for war in Ukraine under new scheme — investigation

In 2025, Russia, the aggressor country, launched a new system for deploying mercenaries to fight in Ukraine — 1,5k+ may have already been sent to the front under this new arrangement, Sistema investigation project wrote on July 16.

18 July 2025, 01:39 PM

Russian-recruited mercenaries from Middle East regret fighting in Ukraine, few return home

Foreign mercenaries recruited by Russia from the Middle East often come to regret their decision once they reach the front lines in Ukraine, but their chances of returning home are slim, The Insider reported on July 14.

14 July 2025, 02:33 PM

Citizens of 48 countries fight on Russia’s side against Ukraine — report

Mercenaries from at least 48 countries are fighting on behalf of Russia against Ukraine’s defense forces, independent Russian outlet iStories reported on April 23, citing a leak from Moscow’s Unified Medical Information and Analytical System.

23 April 2025, 08:33 PM

Russia training African, Cuban mercenaries in occupied Crimea

Russian forces are training mercenaries to fight against Ukraine at the Kazachiy training ground in temporarily occupied Crimea, the partisan movement Atesh reported on Sunday, Nov. 10.

10 November 2024, 01:10 PM

Two Russians tried in Poland for distributing Wagner recruitment materials

Two Russian nationals are being tried in Poland for distributing leaflets in Krakow that encouraged joining Russia’s Wagner Group private military company, Polish outlet RMF24 reported on Oct. 16.

17 October 2024, 02:13 AM

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

Russia sends Syrian mercenaries into Ukraine assaults, promising jobs and citizenship

Russia is actively recruiting Syrian citizens for "human wave" assaults in Ukraine, promising them Russian passports and paid work, according to Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) on Sep. 17.

17 September 2024, 12:58 PM

‘Shortsighted’ of Mali to break diplomatic relations, Kyiv says

Kyiv views Mali’s decision to sever diplomatic relations as “short-sighted” and “hasty,” Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Aug. 5.

5 August 2024, 09:02 PM

Mali blames Ukraine for aiding Tuareg rebels, cuts diplomatic ties

Mali accused Ukraine of supporting Tuareg rebels, who recently ambushed a convoy of Russian Wagner PMC mercenaries, and severed diplomatic ties with Kyiv, the transitional government's spokesperson Colonel Abdoulaye Maïga wrote on X on Aug. 4.

5 August 2024, 08:54 AM

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

Tuareg rebels raise Ukrainian flag after crushing Wagner mercenaries in Mali – photos

Tuareg rebels raised the flag of Ukraine following their defeat of Wagner mercenaries, according to a photo obtained by the Kyiv Post on July 29 from sources in Ukraine’s defense and security sector.

29 July 2024, 08:25 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

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

Video shows Russians guiding Nepalese mercenaries in lethal precision

Video of ‘effective communication’ between two soldiers of Russian army shows how they simply can not overcome language barrier, shows ‘conversation’ video posted by former Ukrainian MP Anton Herashchenko on X on May 15.

15 May 2024, 05:16 PM

mercenaries

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