Amnesty International has declared that Russia’s recruitment of foreign nationals to fight in Ukraine constitutes human trafficking. The report argues that the state’s coercive recruitment tactics—promising money, shelter and training—meet the UN definition of trafficking, as recruits are often lured with false promises and then trapped in military service.

The organization calls on the international community to hold Moscow accountable, demanding transparent investigations and the protection of vulnerable recruits from exploitation and abuse. It urges the UN and other bodies to impose sanctions and to ensure that victims receive reparations and support for reintegration.

Amnesty stresses that truth and justice must prevail over state propaganda, and that the global community cannot ignore the human cost of these recruitment practices.

Source: Amnesty International