New Russian law turns foreign criminals into soldiers in Ukraine

The Russian State Duma passed in its final reading a bill preventing the extradition of foreign nationals who have served or are serving under contract in the Russian Armed Forces or other Russian military formations and have taken part in combat operations in Ukraine.

The amendments to Article 464 of the Criminal Procedure Code stipulate that Russia will deny extradition requests from other countries in cases involving these individuals, many of whom are suspected of criminal offenses in their home states.

Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Moscow has reportedly recruited roughly 18,000 foreign citizens from 128 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, with at least 3,300 killed in action, according to The Telegraph. The new law, highlighted by Faridaily, is expected to further expand the pool of foreign fighters available for deployment, while verified Russian military losses have already surpassed 200,000.

UK Defence Secretary John Healey previously told Bloomberg that escalating Russian casualties have forced the Kremlin to recruit increasingly from abroad, targeting thousands in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Nigeria, Senegal, Cuba, and elsewhere.

Many recruits are allegedly deceived: individuals from poorer countries, often without knowledge of Russian, are promised high salaries and civilian-sector employment, only to be compelled to sign contracts with the Ministry of Defence and sent directly to combat zones.

Governments of several countries supplying potential mercenaries have pressured Moscow to end this practice. According to reports, this led to the creation of “blacklists” of 36 countries in early 2026, whose citizens are now prohibited from recruitment into the Russian Armed Forces.

By Vafa Guliyeva