Russian authorities claim to have captured thousands of migrants and sent them to fight in Ukraine

The Head of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, Alexander Bastrikin, claims Russian authorities started to capture migrants who recently obtained Russian citizenship and are sending them to the war of conquest in Ukraine. According to Bastrikin, authorities have captured over 30,000 foreigners, and sent 10,000 to the combat zone.

Alexander Bastrikin

The Russian services of Interfax and Meduza quote him as saying Russian authorities “are implementing the provisions of the Constitution and our laws under which the individuals who obtained Russian citizenship must be put on the military record and, if needed, participate in the special military operation [a Russian propaganda term for the genocidal war against Ukrainian People – ed.].”

“We get asked: ‘What are these individuals needed there for?’ – well, for digging trenches and building fortifications. Strong working hands are needed for this. Today, they are joining the ranks of our rear units,” Bastrikin said.

During his speech, Bastrikin suggested changing Russia’s migration policy.

“I think the most important thing is to change the migration policy of Russia, to reason the necessity of this change, and possibly even to solve our political, economic, national and other problems with our domestic resources,” he claimed.

Reports indicate that Russian law enforcement regularly raids industrial facilities where labour migrants work. Officials hand them subpoenas or take them to military enlistment offices. Authorities promise expedited Russian passports to migrants without Russian citizenship if they sign a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense.

Earlier, the news agency Bloomberg reported that Russians send young Africans to the front lines in Ukraine, explicitly threatening to deport them from the Russian Federation if they refuse.

In February of 2024, CNN and Nepali MP Bimala Rai Paudyal reported that the Russian Federation had recruited about 15,000 Nepali citizens to participate in the war against Ukraine.