Russia is allegedly sending thousands of migrants and foreign students, including Nigerians, to fight alongside its troops in the ongoing war against Ukraine in exchange for visa renewals, according to a report by Bloomberg. The assessment, made by European officials, suggests that the Kremlin is employing tactics first used by the Wagner mercenary group to bolster its military manpower.

The report claims that Russia has been threatening to withhold visa extensions for African students and young workers unless they agree to join the military. Additionally, some Africans in Russia on work visas have reportedly been detained and forced to choose between deportation and fighting. One European official stated that some individuals have been able to bribe officials to stay in the country while avoiding military service.

This practice of sending migrants and students into battle under duress is not new, according to another European official, who said it dates back to earlier stages of the war. These troops are said to suffer exceptionally high casualty rates as they are increasingly deployed in risky offensive maneuvers to protect more highly trained units.

Reports citing Ukrainian intelligence suggest that Russia has engaged in a global recruitment drive to enlist foreign mercenaries in at least 21 countries, with a focus on several African nations. Army recruitment campaigns offer lucrative signing bonuses and salaries for those willing to join as contract soldiers. Recruiters have also targeted migrants and students previously seeking employment in Russia, and in some cases, have lured others with promises of well-paying work before forcing them to train and deploy to the front lines.

Russia’s ability to mobilize a significantly larger number of troops could become a crucial factor in the war as President Vladimir Putin seeks to capitalize on the shift in momentum this year. However, Russian forces have been making slow progress in northeastern Ukraine and suffering heavy losses, despite a shortage of troops and ammunition on the Ukrainian side.

The Russian military is estimated to have lost more than 1,200 personnel per day during May, its highest casualty rate of the war, according to the UK Ministry of Defence. Since the beginning of the invasion, Russia has seen approximately 500,000 personnel killed or wounded, as per UK estimates.

As the Kremlin struggles to achieve a breakthrough on the battlefield, it has intensified its bombing campaign against Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, in an apparent attempt to render the city uninhabitable, according to Western officials.

The issue of foreign fighters in the Ukraine war has drawn attention from Ukraine’s allies, with some considering sharing their knowledge with the affected countries. The Group of Seven (G7) nations, set to hold a leaders’ summit in Italy next week, have been trying to persuade countries from the so-called Global South to offer more support to Ukraine. However, many of these nations have remained neutral, while their populations have been targeted by Moscow’s disinformation efforts.

As the war continues, the alleged coercion of African students and migrants to fight for Russia in exchange for visa renewals raises serious concerns about human rights violations and the exploitation of vulnerable populations caught in the crossfire of the conflict.

Credit: Punchng.com