mnesty International has called on Russia to immediately halt the recruitment of foreign nationals into its military and investigate allegations of trafficking, deception and coercion, as Zimbabweans remain among those caught up in recruitment schemes linked to the war in Ukraine.
The call is contained in Amnesty International’s report, “Russia: Trafficking of Foreign Nationals to Fight in Ukraine,” released on September 10, 2026, which documents how foreign nationals were recruited through deceptive civilian job offers before being drawn into Russia’s military forces.
The report comes amid growing international scrutiny of the recruitment of foreigners to fight for Russia, including Zimbabweans who have previously told CITE they travelled to Russia expecting civilian employment before finding themselves facing military contracts and deployment to the frontline.
Amnesty said Russia has recruited thousands of foreign nationals from low-income countries, as well as migrants and refugees already living in the country, through “deceptive, coercive and exploitative practices”.
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“Amnesty International calls on Russia to immediately put an end to all reported abusive practices that involve the recruitment of foreign nationals for its military forces and their treatment in training centres and at the front line,” the organisation said.
It said these practices include recruitment through “coercion, deception, misinformation, or exploitation of economic, legal or other vulnerability” among foreign nationals in Russia and people from economically disadvantaged communities elsewhere.
Amnesty said some recruits were promised civilian employment, high salaries, legal status or Russian citizenship before drawn into military service.
The organisation called on Russian authorities to dismantle state practices that facilitate trafficking and investigate and prosecute cases involving state officials.
This includes alleged involvement by officials within Russia’s Migration Directorate of the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Defence, as well as other people performing public functions or acting with the acquiescence of authorities.
Amnesty also called for Russia to suspend ongoing and future recruitment of foreign nationals into its military forces and auxiliary frontline services until minimum standards to prevent and combat human trafficking are effectively implemented.
It urged Russia to “expressly and clearly prohibit in law coercive and abusive recruitment practices and practices amounting to human trafficking and strictly enforce their prohibition in practice”.
The report highlights particular risks faced by migrants and refugees already living in Russia.
Amnesty said some foreigners in vulnerable immigration or financial circumstances were allegedly offered military contracts as a way of avoiding detention, deportation or other penalties.
The organisation said Russia should “immediately cease the practice of abusing the vulnerability of migrants and refugees in Russia” by subjecting them, or threatening them, with detention, deportation or arbitrary penalties to recruit them into its military forces.
Amnesty also called for victims and survivors of trafficking to be protected from punishment for offences committed as a direct result of their exploitation.
It urged Russia to make sure foreign nationals have effective access to legal assistance, consular services and independent complaint mechanisms, while guaranteeing labour rights and payment of promised wages and benefits.
The organisation further called for investigations into every reported allegation of abusive recruitment and cases in which foreign nationals were allegedly restricted from leaving military service.
It said those found responsible should be held accountable through fair trial proceedings, including “recruiters, other intermediaries, migration and military officials, and commanding officers” suspected of involvement in trafficking or other human rights violations.
For foreign nationals already serving in the Russian military, Amnesty said those who wish to leave, to be immediately released from service and allowed to leave frontline territories safely and without reprisals.
The organisation also called for full and effective reparations for recruits and their families for harm suffered as a result of abusive recruitment and treatment during training and at the frontline.
Such reparations, it said, should include unpaid wages and contractual benefits, compensation for recruitment and travel expenses, compensation for physical and psychological injuries, and compensation for families of people killed or missing in action.
To help families searching for missing relatives, Amnesty called for the disclosure of available information about the fate, whereabouts and legal status of foreign nationals, including those missing, detained or deployed at the frontline.
It also called for practical assistance to facilitate the voluntary return of foreign nationals who had been subjected to human trafficking and wanted to return to their countries of origin.
Amnesty’s recommendations extend beyond Russia to countries such as Zimbabwe whose nationals are at risk of or have been affected by abusive recruitment into the Russian military.
The organisation called on these States to issue “clear public warnings and guidance” about deceptive or fraudulent recruitment schemes linked to employment in Russia or third countries.
It also urged governments to strengthen oversight and regulation of recruitment agencies, intermediaries and online platforms operating domestically or across borders.
To provide help for affected nationals and their families, Amnesty called for governments to provide consular protection and assistance, including to people who are detained, missing or held as prisoners of war.
It urged states to engage Russian and Ukrainian authorities to facilitate the voluntary return and reintegration of affected nationals, including access to legal, medical and financial support.
Governments should also investigate and, where appropriate, prosecute individuals and networks involved in human trafficking and deceptive or coercive recruitment practices targeting their citizens.
Amnesty said individuals recruited through deception, coercion or abuse of vulnerability should be identified as potential victims of human trafficking rather than automatically treated as willing participants.
The recommendations are particularly relevant to Zimbabwe, where CITE has previously documented recruitment networks using social media to approach prospective recruits with civilian employment opportunities.
The recruitment allegations have since been followed by reports of Zimbabweans killed or missing in the conflict, while families have struggled to obtain information about their relatives and secure the repatriation of deceased loved ones.
Amnesty’s recommendations therefore raise questions about Zimbabwe’s response to its nationals caught up in the recruitment networks.
Beyond investigating recruiters, the organisation’s recommendations call for governments to proactively warn their citizens, regulate recruitment actors, provide consular assistance, support affected families and facilitate the safe return and reintegration of people subjected to trafficking or other human rights violations.
Amnesty also called on Ukraine to make sure foreign prisoners of war are treated in accordance with international humanitarian and human rights law, regardless of their nationality or the circumstances in which they were recruited into Russia’s military.
It urged Ukrainian authorities to identify foreign prisoners who may have been recruited through deception, coercion, fraud or abuse of vulnerability and screen them as potential victims or survivors of human trafficking.
The organisation called for prisoners to be able to communicate with their families and receive consular assistance from their governments, while urging authorities to explore lawful pathways for repatriation and return.
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