Russia has banned the recruitment of mercenaries from dozens of countries following outrage from African nations that their citizens were being deceived into fighting in Ukraine, according to reports from British media.
Moscow announced a “STOP list” barring citizens of 43 countries from joining the Russian armed forces, The Telegraph reported. The list includes key Russian allies such as China, India, Brazil, Turkey, Cuba, Iran, and Venezuela, as well as a significant number of African nations.
Russia is believed to have recruited thousands of men from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East to fill gaps in its ranks caused by heavy losses on the front lines. Hundreds of foreign nationals have been killed, and survivors have frequently complained of being lured to Russia under false pretenses, offered safe, non-combat work, or educational opportunities.
Videos circulating on social media have also shown what critics describe as brutal treatment of some African nationals serving on the front lines. In one video reportedly posted last month, a Russian soldier is heard saying, “Look how many disposable people are here,” while laughing at a group of cheerfully singing recruits, adding they “will sing differently” once deployed to the front.
Another video reviewed by The Telegraph shows soldiers attaching a mine to the chest of a mercenary from Africa and ordering him to run into a grey zone, effectively turning him into a “living bomb” to inflict damage on Ukrainian fortifications.
African governments have increasingly criticized the recruitment drive in recent months. Moscow has long courted African countries, portraying itself as an alternative to the West and offering investments in security, industry, mining, and expertise, particularly in former French colonies in the Sahel region.
Kenya recently estimated that up to 1,000 of its citizens had been recruited, and Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi described the recruitment as “unacceptable and clandestine.” Nepal, India, and Sri Lanka have also requested Moscow to halt the recruitment of their citizens.
African countries have called for the repatriation of surviving citizens currently serving in the Russian armed forces or held as prisoners of war in Ukraine.
Recent intelligence from the United Kingdom revealed the extent of Russian losses in the war against Ukraine. A report indicated that Russian forces have suffered approximately 415,000 casualties – killed or wounded – in Ukraine as of 2025. This figure is a slight decrease from 2024, when annual Russian losses reached 430,000 personnel. British assessments estimate total Russian losses since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began at around 1.213 million personnel.
