Kislytsia: Russia recruits mercenaries around the world as cannon fodder for war in Ukraine
Kyiv • UNN
Russia is conducting a global mercenary recruitment campaign, including through deception and threats to foreign nationals, to increase its troops for the war against Ukraine.
Russia is trying to increase the number of troops to continue the war against Ukraine and has launched a global campaign to find mercenaries around the world. This was stated by Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the UN, Sergiy Kyslytsya, UNN reports.
Details
He said that Russia often resorts to deception and threats, so Kyslytsia called on the Organization's member states to counter such a campaign by the Kremlin.
The diplomat gave examples of how Russia is trying to recruit mercenaries among citizens of Africa and Asia.
"According to international media reports, Russian authorities have threatened not to renew visas for African students and workers unless they agree to join the army. Moscow detains foreigners with work visas and forces them to choose between deportation or conscription
In addition, Russia is conducting a massive recruitment campaign, luring foreign nationals with promises of lucrative jobs and then sending them to the front.
Among the most recent cases is the escape of 22 Sri Lankans who managed to desert the Russian army and return home. As the spokesman for the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defense described this terrible situation on June 11, (I quote) "They were deceived"
Kyslytsya recalled that one of the 22 men, Anil Madusanka, later told reporters that he had been invited to Russia to work as a driver, but was forced to go to the front after arriving.
After being wounded, he managed to escape to his country's embassy in Moscow, which organized his repatriation.
