The Kremlin benefits from its expansion and support for authoritarian regimes in the developing world to recruit and send people to fight on the side of Russia in the war against Ukraine. Russian officials threaten not to renew the visas for African students and young workers unless they agree to join the army as mercenaries. Some African workers have been detained in Russia and pressured to choose between deportation and joining the army, while some resorted to bribing officials to stay in the country and avoid conscription. The number of African detainees indicates that Moscow has set up a mechanism to recruit foreigners and forcibly send them into the combat zone. That way, the Kremlin has resorted to racism and colonialism towards African nations, with their people used as “cannon fodder” in the war against Ukraine. Russia conducts a global campaign to recruit foreign mercenaries in at least 21 countries. The recruitment, in most cases, involves deceit, as the true objectives and future prospects for foreigners in the Russian army are hidden.
We have previously received information on the schemes that Russia uses to recruit people from Nepal, Cuba, and Serbia to the Russian army. In some cases, foreigners are lured by promises of good jobs, only to be trained and sent to the front later.
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In Africa, Russia combines exploiting the people in the war against Ukraine with grabbing natural resources and areas for Russian military bases and other military facilities.
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We believe Russia coordinates the acts of mercenarism with authoritarian regimes in Africa. TheKremlin is likely to resort to corrupt payments to turn a blind eye to the worries by donor states about mercenaries and forgive foreign debt obligations to Russia.
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It is noteworthy that Russia not only exploits the people in Africa but actively seeks to discredit France and the United Kingdom on the continent, reminding of the colonial era.
We estimate that Russia is recruiting people in the poorest and heavy populated countries with low social protection. Moreover, with corrupt ties to local officials and recruitment going on in Russia, the Kremlin is likely to avoid scandals and claims, should mercenarism or confirmed death of a foreign mercenary in Ukraine be disclosed.
