Siretlics of Putin's army: foreigners recruited by Telegram with offers of Russian citizenship and high salaries to fight in Ukraine

The Russian army recruits foreigners for the Ukraine war through the Telegram messenger, promising attractive citizenship and wages. The offer, which concerns especially citizens from the Middle East, Africa and Asia, hides major risks, many being sent directly to the first line.

Foreigners are recruited by Telegram with offers of Russian citizenship Photo: Dialog

The recruitment announcements began to appear in 2024, after President Vladimir Putin issued a decree by which foreigners who serve in the Russian armed forces automatically receive citizenship for them and their families. “People are mainly attracted to offers for Russian citizenship and high payments. For many Egyptians or Iraqi, a salary of 2,500–3,500 dollars per month represents a considerable amount, compared to average income from the Lo countries.R “, according to dialog.

A relevant example is the case of a 54 -year -old Jordanian driver, who was attracted by an announcement that promised a cook. In fact, the man arrived on the first line in Ukraine, after signing a 17 -page contract with the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

Foreign recruits are trained in camps for 4-6 weeks, with mandatory study of the Russian language, and receive citizenship immediately after the contract is signed. After six months, they can benefit from a two -week vacation.

According to estimates, about 10,000 foreigners are currently fighting on Russia. These include immigrants from Africa, the Middle East, South and East Asia, as well as students whose visa has expired.

Reuters has previously reported that about 5,000 Cubans and up to 2,000 Iraqis belong to Russian forces.