Dominican and Paraguayan citizens investigated for military recruitment in Russia-Ukraine war

Authorities in the Dominican Republic and Paraguay are investigating reports of citizens being recruited for military service in the Russia-Ukraine conflict under the guise of technical employment offers.

In the Dominican Republic, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Mirex) confirmed that 20 nationals traveled to Russia after accepting technical job offers, only to be enlisted in the military. Foreign Minister Víctor Bisonó Haza stated that these individuals signed voluntary, individual military service contracts in both Spanish and Russian. This contractual status limits the Dominican government's legal ability to intervene, though diplomatic efforts continue to assist vulnerable citizens. The Ministry of Labor has issued warnings against fraudulent overseas job offers that promise high salaries but lack clear details regarding employer and location.

Simultaneously, the Paraguayan Public Ministry is investigating allegations that Paraguayan citizens were lured to Russia and Ukraine with promises of construction or drone-related work, only to be assigned to combat units. Investigators are looking into whether these individuals were fully informed of the risks and the true nature of their deployment. Families reported losing contact with relatives after they traveled abroad following these economic promises.