Russia drafts Central Asian migrants as cannon fodder - Ukraine’s Intel

The Ukrainian Defence Intelligence reports.

This is primarily about labor migrants who come to Russia in search of work.

Representatives of the Russian army mislead foreigners with promises of "quick money" under short-term contracts.

"In reality, the chances of not only earning money but also surviving are minimal. Most of these ‘volunteers’ die," Ukrainian intelligence explains.

Among the recently eliminated mercenaries who were citizens of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan:

• Umarov Sirojiddin Sabirdzhanovich, Private of the 164th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade (military unit 11740), dog tag AB-986480, born on March 19, 1984, in Tashkent.
• Kholbuvozoda Mukhammad Faizullo, callsign Basmach, Private of the 1st Motorized Rifle Regiment (military unit 31135), dog tag AB-052894, born on January 28, 1984. He signed a contract on February 25, 2025.

The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine said that mobilized migrants are used to form separate units, which are mainly used in the most dangerous areas of the frontline.

“Even if they survive their service at the front, such combatants cannot return to normal life: in their countries of origin, they face criminal prosecution for participation in the armed forces of a foreign state with the prospect of long-term imprisonment,” the agency said.

• In the temporarily occupied Henichesk, Kherson region, Russians are conducting a new wave of searches and convincing people to sign a contract with their armed forces “for their own safety.”