Russian authorities are recruiting foreigners for the war in Ukraine, despite Putin’s statements that the Kremlin does not need “outsiders.” In particular, citizens of Serbia and other Balkan countries are being recruited into the occupying army. Around a hundred people rallied to the aggressor country. Currently, the mercenary recruitment system is frozen, reports BBC Russia reported.
Serbian mercenaries sign contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense and go to war as part of the 106th Airborne Division.
“We are now officially signing a contract with the Ministry of Defense, we are going through the military commission in Krasnogorsk,” said Serbian citizen Davor Savicic, who trained a platoon of Serbs in the Wagner Group in 2014.
Serbs living on the territory of Russia participate in recruitment. In particular, Savicic promised to form a full-fledged Serbian brigade within the 106th Airborne Division by the fall of 2023. However, this plan was not implemented. It should be noted that mercenary is a criminal offense in Serbia.
Additionally, the Russians have also recruited more than 100 Cuban citizens since the start of the year, according to the Institute for the Study of War. said. Foreigners joined the same 106th division of the Russian Airborne Forces this summer. “This indicates that the 106th Airborne Division probably suffered heavy losses during the fighting in Ukraine,” analysts believe.
At the same time, Russia continues to mobilize Ukrainians who have received passports of the Russian Federation into the temporarily occupied territories. “Russian authorities threaten civilians holding Russian passports eligible for conscription with fines and detention. …Russian authorities and occupation administrations continue to carry out forced passportization and mobilization in occupied Ukraine” said the Institute for the Study of War.
