Foreign nationals comprise 10% of Russian prisoners of war in Ukraine

Data from the Ukrainian project ‘I Want to Live’ indicates that approximately one in ten Russian prisoners of war held in Ukraine are foreign nationals. As of September, prisoners from 55 different countries have been identified. Ukrainian officials report that nearly 29,000 foreign citizens have signed contracts with the Russian armed forces since 2022.

Russia has reportedly shifted its recruitment focus toward South America, Central Asia, and Africa following diplomatic pressure that led to a halt in recruitment from 39 countries, including China, India, Egypt, Kenya, and Pakistan. Recent captures include citizens from Argentina, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Honduras, Vietnam, and Mongolia.

Testimonies from recruits and their families suggest that many are lured by false promises of high wages and citizenship. Some Latin American recruits have described being treated as ‘cannon fodder,’ alleging that commanders send them into high-risk assaults with the knowledge that they are unlikely to survive.