The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine has reportedly uncovered credible evidence indicating that human trafficking methods were extensively used to recruit foreign nationals into the Russian armed forces. According to the newly released report, citizens from at least 29 countries were allegedly funneled into military service through systematic deception and coercion.

International investigators claimed that the Russian government purportedly collaborated with a network of agents and intermediaries spanning multiple global regions. The findings suggest that these recruitment operations often mirrored classic human trafficking schemes, intentionally exploiting vulnerable populations in developing nations across Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and South Asia.

While the UN commission identified individuals from 48 countries among the ranks, coercion or deception was reportedly verified in cases originating from at least 29 nations. This extensive list includes Brazil, India, Turkey, South Africa, and several other countries that have maintained diplomatic or economic ties with Moscow since the outbreak of the conflict.

The report details recurring patterns in how recruiters operated, specifically targeting impoverished or socially vulnerable individuals. Prospective recruits were supposedly promised safe, high-paying civilian jobs inside Russia, with explicit guarantees that they would be kept far away from any active combat zones.

However, upon arrival in Russia, these foreign nationals reportedly had their passports and mobile phones confiscated. They were allegedly forced to sign military contracts with the Defense Ministry in a language they could not understand, and subsequently deployed to high-risk frontline positions with minimal or zero military training, leading to widespread casualties.

Source: kun.uz