Russian authorities have encouraged the recruitment of citizens of neighboring countries to fight in Ukraine, according to British intelligence, which attributes these efforts to a desire to avoid the political effects of any – and “unpopular” – internal mobilization. “Russia probably wants to avoid unpopular mobilization measures before the 2024 presidential elections”, reads the latest report by British experts, shared by the Ministry of Defence. To that end, Russian authorities placed advertisements on the Internet in Armenia and Kazakhstan offering 495,000 rubles (about 4,800 euros) as a down payment and a salary of 190,000 rubles (more than 1,800 euros).
In the case of Kazakhstan, specific recruitment efforts were made in the Kostanai region, with appeals to the ethnic Russian population. In addition, at least since last May, Russia has been tempting migrants of Asian origin, who are offered to join the troops in Ukraine in exchange for obtaining citizenship and salaries that can reach more than 3,800 euros. British intelligence also pointed out that in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, occupied by Russian troops, Uzbek migrants, mainly involved in construction, had their passports confiscated as a pressure measure to join the fighting. In Russia alone there are at least 6 million migrants from Central Asia whom the Kremlin sees as “potential recruits”, British officials said. Problem after problem for Vladimir Putin.
Source: IL Tempo

John Cameron is a journalist at The Nation View specializing in world news and current events, particularly in international politics and diplomacy. With expertise in international relations, he covers a range of topics including conflicts, politics and economic trends.