The hidden front: Russia recruits Middle Eastern migrants to fight in Ukraine

Moscow is employing a covert yet strategic approach to bolster its forces in Ukraine by recruiting migrants from the Middle East – primarily Syrians and Yemenis – through business visas and enticing promises of high salaries.

This well-orchestrated operation highlights Russia’s urgent need for manpower amid mounting losses on the battlefield, EUalive’s partner BGNES writes, citing an analysis by Slate and an investigation by The Insider.

Russia’s military setbacks in Ukraine have necessitated external support, prompting Moscow to turn to unconventional sources. In recent months, the Kremlin has intensified efforts to recruit foreign nationals, especially from conflict-ridden Middle Eastern countries, transforming the region into a reserve of potential fighters.

Additionally, Russia’s reliance on mercenaries – such as the Wagner Group, has long been a tool for expanding its military reach abroad.

Now, with the war stretching into its second year, the Kremlin’s Middle East recruitment efforts have become more systematic, leveraging local governments and migration agencies to facilitate the process.

The recruitment network and methods

Recruitment is primarily coordinated through local authorities, migration services, and the Russian Foreign Ministry, particularly in the Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine. This proximity simplifies the entry process for Syrian and Yemeni migrants seeking “well-paid” work, only to be subsequently deployed to the front lines.

Potential recruits are contacted mainly via encrypted messaging platforms like Telegram and WhatsApp. The most prominent channel, called “Drug Rossii” (“Friend of Russia”), advertises promises of Russian citizenship and salaries up to €2,000 per month, payable once they sign contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense.

Once initial contact is made, recruits are asked to submit scanned copies of their passports and other documents. These are then forwarded to Russian border officials who facilitate visa processing—primarily using business visas, which are often manipulated to conceal military contracts.

According to investigations by The Insider, the process appears to be overseen by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, rather than the Ministry of Internal Affairs, despite formal jurisdiction. Letters obtained by the publication reveal that local officials in border regions actively assist in issuing invitations to prospective mercenaries, ostensibly for “voluntary service” in Ukraine.

The reality for recruits

Many recruits are unaware that their visas are intended for military deployment. For example, Wahid Mursal al-Shibli, a Syrian from Sweida, was lured by the promise of a lucrative salary. Upon arriving in Russia, he was sent to Ukraine to fight. After months on the front lines and witnessing the horrors of war, he sought to return home.

However, the Russian embassy in Damascus refused to assist him, and he was killed in September 2024 during an attack. His family received no compensation.

Recruits who are injured or killed while fighting are ineligible for any form of compensation from the Russian government, highlighting the perilous and exploitative nature of this recruitment strategy.

Attempts by Syrian authorities to negotiate repatriation efforts have largely been unsuccessful.

The role of Russian authorities

The recruitment operation involves a network of officials from Russia’s migration service, the Foreign Ministry, and municipal leaders in border regions. These actors work collectively to ensure a steady flow of fighters from countries like Syria and Yemen – nations plagued by economic hardship and political instability.

Recruitment advertisements promise not only high wages but also legal residency in Russia, making the offer especially tempting to impoverished migrants.

Contacts are established through online channels, with prominent figures behind these operations listed on Ukraine’s Myrotvorets (Peacemaker) database, including Russians Polina Azarnykh and Sergey Merzlyakov, as well as a Syrian national, Abid Khalid Sharif Abid.

Letters obtained by The Insider reveal that officials in Bryansk and the Russian Foreign Ministry actively facilitate the process. Invitations are extended to Syrians expressing “voluntary” interest in serving in Ukraine, with promises of assistance in signing contracts with the Ministry of Defense.

This orchestrated effort appears to blur the lines between legal migration and military recruitment, effectively turning migrants into pawns in Russia’s broader geopolitical strategy.

Caption: Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) attends a meeting with Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council Chairman, Rashad Mohammed Al-Alimi (L) at the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow, Russia, 28 May 2025. Al-Alimi is on an official state visit to Russia at the invitation of the Russian president. EPA/PAVEL BEDNYAKOV/POOL