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Amnesty International accuses Russia of human trafficking in foreign recruitment
Amnesty International has accused Russia of human trafficking through the deceptive recruitment of foreign nationals to fight in the war in Ukraine. According to a report released on September 10, 2026, many recruits from economically vulnerable countries in the Global South were lured with false promises of civilian employment, high salaries, or residency permits.
Commonly targeted sectors for these fraudulent job offers include construction, logistics, security, and IT. Upon arrival in Russia, many victims reported that their passports and mobile phones were confiscated, and they were coerced into signing military contracts—often in Russian, a language many did not speak. Amnesty noted that only three of the interviewed foreign prisoners of war had knowingly signed for military service.
The organization concluded that these practices meet the criteria for human trafficking under the United Nations Palermo Protocol. Victims interviewed in Ukrainian prisoner-of-war camps included citizens from Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Egypt, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Somalia, and South Africa. Many recruits received only about two weeks of insufficient military training before being deployed to the front lines.
Entities
Agnès Callamard · Amnesty International · Russia · Ukraine · United Nations
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 8 SOURCES] Only three of the interviewed foreign recruits had knowingly signed contracts for military service. www.allgaeuer-zeitung.de · www.bbv-net.de · www.recklinghaeuser-zeitung.de · www.notiziegeopolitiche.net · www.amnesty.de · +3 more
- [● 17 SOURCES] Russia is accused of human trafficking during the recruitment of foreign fighters for the war in Ukraine. www.allgaeuer-zeitung.de · www.bbv-net.de · www.recklinghaeuser-zeitung.de · bahamasspectator.com · www.europesays.com · +12 more
- [● 17 SOURCES] Recruitment methods include coercion, fraud, deception, or exploitation of economic vulnerability. www.allgaeuer-zeitung.de · www.bbv-net.de · www.recklinghaeuser-zeitung.de · bahamasspectator.com · www.europesays.com · +12 more
- [● 17 SOURCES] The recruitment practices meet the criteria for human trafficking under the 2000 UN Palermo Protocol. www.allgaeuer-zeitung.de · www.bbv-net.de · www.recklinghaeuser-zeitung.de · bahamasspectator.com · www.europesays.com · +12 more
- [● 5 SOURCES] Military contracts were provided in Russian, despite many recruits not speaking the language. www.allgaeuer-zeitung.de · www.bbv-net.de · www.recklinghaeuser-zeitung.de · www.amnesty.de · www.brasilemfolhas.com.br
- [● 17 SOURCES] Between 2024 and 2026, Amnesty interviewed more than a dozen foreigners in two Ukrainian prisoner-of-war camps. www.allgaeuer-zeitung.de · www.bbv-net.de · www.recklinghaeuser-zeitung.de · www.europesays.com · www.notiziegeopolitiche.net · +12 more
- [● 3 SOURCES] New soldiers received approximately two weeks of insufficient basic military training. www.allgaeuer-zeitung.de · www.bbv-net.de · www.recklinghaeuser-zeitung.de
- [● 5 SOURCES] Recruits from Brazil and Sri Lanka reported that their passports and mobile phones were confiscated after signing contracts. www.allgaeuer-zeitung.de · www.bbv-net.de · www.recklinghaeuser-zeitung.de · www.amnesty.de · www.ocafezinho.com