Mercenaries from at least 48 countries are fighting on the side of Russia in the war against Ukraine.

In its full scale, Russia is waging an active war against Ukraine, recruiting mercenaries from various countries for this purpose. Over the past year, citizens from at least 48 countries could join its army, including from East and South Asia, former Soviet republics, and Africa. In particular, the largest number of mercenaries are recruited from Nepal, even despite the official request from their government.Russia also recruits citizens from countries it considers its enemies, such as the United States, France, Italy, and Latvia. Foreign mercenaries are also coming to the ranks of the Russian army from the Middle East, including Egypt, Iran, Algeria, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. Moreover, mercenaries from Africa are arriving from Ghana, Cameroon, and Senegal.

Objective data indicate that some of these foreign mercenaries have participated in armed actions in Ukraine, and some have been killed or captured. Also, after their contracts ended, some mercenaries left the Russian army. This became evident after Ukrainian forces captured a mercenary from Africa in Toretsk.

This situation indicates that Russia actively recruits mercenaries from around the world to expand its territories and conduct aggressive military actions. This confirms the high level of threat that Russia poses to the security and stability not only of Ukraine but also of many other countries. Clearly, international measures need to be taken to stop the recruitment of foreign mercenaries and to properly punish their actions.