Russia Recruits More Foreign Mercenaries Amid Rising Losses

Russia is becoming increasingly dependent on foreign mercenaries due to mounting losses that it is unable to offset with its own recruits.

UK Defence Secretary John Healey stated this during the Munich Security Conference, Bloomberg reports.

According to him, the Kremlin is being forced to recruit thousands of fighters from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Cuba, Nigeria, and Senegal.

Healey emphasized that foreigners are often recruited through deception, without being warned that they will become part of the ‘Russian meat grinder’ on the front line. He also estimated the number of North Korean troops involved at 17,000.

“They are often recruited under false pretenses and coerced into service, without realizing they are destined to end up in Russia’s meat grinder on the front line,” the minister said.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned that Russia continues to rearm and rebuild its forces despite significant human losses.

He stressed that even if a peace agreement is signed, Russia’s militarization will only accelerate, posing an even greater threat to Europe. Western officials predict that Russia will be able to sustain combat operations throughout 2026.