New Investigation Finds Staggering Losses Among Russia’s Foreign Recruits

Some assessments indicate that up to one in five recruits does not survive deployment.

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The report concludes that Russia’s recruitment system constitutes a coordinated and institutionalized effort involving both state and non-state actors. The documented practices meet the criteria of human trafficking under the Palermo Protocol to the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, citing the use of deception, coercion, and exploitation for combat deployment.