Russian mercenaries

Russian Shahed drone shot down in Mali in first confirmed Sahel use

Rebels in Mali have shot down a Shahed-136 drone (Garpiya-A1) that Russia was using to support its mercenaries in Africa — the first confirmed use of such a drone in the Sahel region, Ukraine's Presidential Commissioner for Sanctions Policy Vladyslav Vlasiuk told the Ukrinform news agency on May 22.

22 May, 07:30 PM

UK sanctions migrant recruitment networks feeding Russia’s war against Ukraine

The United Kingdom has imposed new sanctions on people and companies accused of helping Russia exploit foreign migrants for its war against Ukraine, the British government said in a news release.

5 May, 07:04 PM

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

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

JNIM militants reportedly kill multiple Russian mercenaries in Mali ambush

A convoy of Russian mercenaries from the so-called Africa Corps — many of them believed to be former Wagner Group fighters — was ambushed and shot up in Mali, Ukrainian OSINT group Tatarigami_UA reported on Aug. 1.

2 August 2025, 10:18 AM

Russian mercenaries