Over 1,500 foreign mercenaries from 48 countries fighting for Russia against Ukraine - media

This was reported by the publication Vazhnyye Istorii, citing data from the Unified Medical Information and Analytical System (UMIAS).

According to the outlet, from April 2023 to the end of May 2024, all foreign recruits passed through a military contract enlistment center on Yablochkova Street in Moscow.

The report states that more than 1,300 foreigners from 48 countries joined Russia’s armed forces during this period. At least 603 of them were Nepali citizens.

According to the leak, the first Nepalese recruits appeared in the Russian army no later than May 2023. Initially, they arrived in small groups of two or three, but by August their numbers rose to about 30 per month. In October, more than 370 Nepalese reportedly passed through the recruitment center on Yablochkova Street in Moscow.

However, journalists noted a decline in Nepalese enlistment by the end of 2023. This drop is partly attributed to the Nepalese government’s request that Russia stop deploying its citizens to the front lines.

In addition to Nepal, citizens from the following countries were recruited to the Russian army through the Moscow recruitment point:

• Sri Lanka (64)
• China (51)
• India (43)
• Cuba (8)
• Serbia (8)
• Latvia (4)
• Tajikistan (86)
• Uzbekistan (71)
• Belarus (71)
• Kyrgyzstan (64)
• Kazakhstan (59)
• Turkmenistan (19)
• Moldova (12)

As investigators emphasize, these are data only for foreign mercenaries who passed through one Moscow recruitment point. The total number of foreigners fighting on Russia's side is much higher.

According to CNN, Russia may have recruited up to 15,000 citizens of Nepal for the war against Ukraine.

• In early April, Ukrainian military forces in the Donetsk region captured two Chinese citizens who were fighting in the Russian army.
• Later, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukrainian special services are aware of at least 155 Chinese citizens fighting in the Russian army.
• On April 22, Ukrainian intelligence provided China with evidence of its citizens' involvement in the war against Ukraine, as well as the role of Chinese companies in producing military goods for Russia.