Ukraine says Russia recruiting mercenaries globally to conduct hybrid operations

Russia is conducting a global campaign to recruit mercenaries in Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America, according to the Telegram channel of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) under the National Security Council.

The agency noted that the special operation’s goal is not only to bolster manpower for the war against Ukraine but also to create parallel militarised channels for hybrid operations — ranging from intelligence gathering and sabotage to political destabilisation in regions traditionally influenced by the United States, Caliber.Az reports.

“Russia is embedding recruitment chains into criminal ecosystems, particularly in Latin America, which facilitates financing and logistics, and near the U.S. borders creates the risk of ‘hot spots’ and forced military responses,” the CCD said.

The agency also cited specific examples of such recruitment. Recently, a scandal erupted in Kenya after an athlete was tricked into signing a “contract” with the Russian Ministry of Defence and sent to the front. The country’s foreign ministry reported several similar cases.

Meanwhile, in South Africa, a large-scale recruitment of women was uncovered for drone production plants in Russia’s Alabuga economic zone under the guise of legitimate employment, but in reality, they were subjected to forced labour.

By Khagan Isayev