In a recent report by Bloomberg, European officials have alleged that Russia is compelling thousands of migrants and foreign students to join the military in exchange for visa renewals, echoing tactics first used by the Wagner mercenary group.
The report claims that African students and young workers in Russia are being threatened with non-renewal of their visas unless they enlist. Moscow has also been recruiting convicts from its prisons and detaining Africans on work visas, forcing them to choose between deportation or military service, according to one European official.
Some individuals have reportedly managed to avoid conscription by bribing officials, the anonymous source added.
Ukrainian intelligence reports suggest that Russia is conducting a global recruitment drive, targeting foreign mercenaries in at least 21 countries, including several African nations. Recruitment campaigns are offering lucrative signing bonuses and salaries to attract contract soldiers.
Additionally, recruiters are allegedly targeting migrants and students who came to Russia seeking employment, and in some cases, luring others with promises of lucrative jobs only to force them into military training and deployment.
These allegations highlight the growing desperation within the Kremlin to bolster its military ranks amid the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
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