Amnesty International has accused Russia of engaging in human trafficking through its recruitment of foreign nationals to fight in the conflict in Ukraine. In a report released Thursday, the human rights organization detailed how many recruits were lured with promises of high salaries and sign-up bonuses that were often not delivered. While some individuals received partial payments before being captured, numerous recruits reported receiving no payment at all.

According to Amnesty, a significant motivator offered to foreign recruits was the prospect of obtaining Russian citizenship, which was cited by all interviewees as a key incentive for enlisting. However, the organization highlighted that Russian recruiters frequently employed coercive methods, fraud, and deception to convince these individuals to join the Russian military effort.

Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s secretary general, stated that the extent of exploitation and coercion involved in these recruitment practices meets the criteria for human trafficking under the United Nations Palermo Protocol. The report underscores concerns about the ethical and legal implications of Russia’s recruitment strategies amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.