Desperate Putin’s Sneaky Tactic: How He’s Using Foreign Mercenaries in Ukraine!

Uncover the startling truth behind Russia’s clandestine recruitment of foreign fighters for the war in Ukraine. Learn how they’re targeting citizens from unexpected places and the impact on the conflict. Dive deep into this intriguing exposé of global intrigue and geopolitics.

Moscow has been actively enticing foreign fighters to join its conflict in Ukraine as it faces a dwindling pool of domestic recruits. Recent reports indicate that citizens from Cuba, Armenia, and Kazakhstan, a former Soviet republic bordering Russia, have been targeted for recruitment. Additionally, British intelligence suggests that Russia is also recruiting soldiers from neighbouring countries. There are even reports of migrant workers with Russian citizenship being mobilized for the Ukrainian conflict, as Russia’s internal recruitment efforts seem less successful.

Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed it had uncovered a “human trafficking network” targeting its citizens for enlistment in the Russian military for operations in Ukraine. The extent of successful recruitment remains undisclosed, and the Kremlin has not commented on these allegations.

An investigation by the Moscow Times’ Russian service found that Cuban men are being targeted through social media groups, including Facebook, with promises of a monthly income of 204,000 rubles ($2,090 USD) and the prospect of obtaining Russian citizenship by signing a 12-month contract with the Russian military. Elena Shuvalova, responsible for creating many of these recruitment posts, claimed to have arranged for several Cuban citizens to join the Ukrainian conflict but declined to comment on any affiliation with Russia’s Defense Ministry.

According to the British Defense Ministry, Russia has intensified its efforts to appeal to citizens of neighbouring countries to participate in the Ukrainian conflict. Online advertisements have been observed in Armenia and Kazakhstan offering initial payments of 495,000 rubles ($5,140) and salaries starting at 190,000 rubles ($1,973).

The British Defense Ministry’s intelligence update from Sunday notes that since at least May, Russia has been approaching Central Asian migrants with offers of fast-track citizenship and salaries of up to $4,160 to fight in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, in Russia, over 100 migrants with Russian citizenship were reportedly gathered during a two-day operation in the south of St. Petersburg last month and were required to register at a military enlistment office, as reported by local publication RBC.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is allegedly facing mounting pressure to adopt a more aggressive approach to the conflict in Ukraine and implement a full-scale mobilization to bolster manpower. While Putin had previously announced a “partial mobilization” in the fall of 2022, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu stated in September of the same year that Russia intended to target 300,000 reservists and ex-military personnel with specific military skills and relevant experience.

Despite reports of covert mobilization, the Kremlin has repeatedly downplayed the idea of a second wave of mobilization or significant public acknowledgement of such efforts. The number of recruits for the Ukrainian conflict this year is likely falling short of authorities’ expectations.

British intelligence suggests that Russia may prefer to avoid unpopular domestic mobilization measures in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential elections by exploiting foreign nationals for additional personnel in its war effort, all while maintaining the narrative that Russia is conducting a limited-scale military operation rather than a full-fledged war.

Konstantin Sonin, a Russian-born political economist from the University of Chicago, believes that Putin is hesitant to announce open mass mobilization, as it would conflict with the propaganda narrative he and his circle are promoting. Any potential increase in recruitment would likely be accompanied by rhetoric downplaying the significance of these actions.