In Moscow alone, more than one and a half thousand foreign mercenaries may have been recruited for the war with Ukraine over the course of a year, according to «Important Stories». Their names were identified through a leak from the capital's medical database (EMIAS), which covers a period of just over a year—from the opening of the recruitment center in April 2023 to the end of May 2024.
More than 1,500 foreign citizens listed in the EMIAS database have the address of the unified contract recruitment point—Yablochkova Street, building 5, structure 1—listed as their place of residence. Occasionally, the data also includes an apartment number—302. This is the same number as the medical examination room at the recruitment point.
According to the publication, the countries of South and East Asia rank first in the number of volunteers sent to Russia—771 people. The second and third places are held by the countries of the former USSR (523 people) and Africa (72 mercenaries).
The most mercenaries came to Russia from Nepal—at least 603 people. Initially, they arrived in small groups of 2-3 people, but by August their flow increased to 30 people per month, and by October more than 370 people passed through the recruitment point on Yablochkova. At the end of 2023, the Nepalese authorities asked the Kremlin not to recruit their citizens into the Russian army, but recruitment continued.
Dozens of EU citizens are also fighting for the Russian army, with volunteers coming from the UK, France, Belgium, Italy, and Austria. For instance, in February 2024, 21-year-old Frenchman Jean Clément came to the recruitment point. His mother, sociologist Hélène Clément-Pitio, regularly appears on RT broadcasts and spoke at a conference with Alexander Dugin.
Additionally, at least two Americans came to enlist last year. For example, a full namesake of a 30-year-old veteran of the 82nd Airborne Division of the US, Matthew Kyle Dubron from Nevada, was noted at the recruitment point.
People from Middle Eastern countries (Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Turkey, Algeria, and others) are actively being recruited for the war. For instance, a 26-year-old Syrian, Omran Hadak, signed a contract after fleeing to Russia to avoid serving in Bashar al-Assad's army.
Another source of recruitment, according to the publication, has been troubled African countries (Ghana, Cameroon, and Senegal). 25-year-old Joseph Dezair Pokam flew from Cameroon to the «Russia—Africa» summit under the slogan «For Peace, Security, and Development», and then went to the recruitment point for the war with Ukraine.
* Recognized in Russia as a «foreign agent» and «undesirable» organization.