Published: 12:13 AM, 28 October 2026
UN exposes forced recruitment of Bangladeshis by Russia
Citizens from at least 29 countries, including Bangladesh, have been forcibly recruited or tricked into joining the Russian armed forces through deceptive civilian job offers, according to a report by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine.
The update, published on Monday for presentation at the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, revealed that human trafficking networks coordinated with Russian authorities to send foreign nationals to active combat zones, resulting in numerous casualties, detentions, and disappearances, bdnews24 reports.
The UN commission investigated recruitment activities involving citizens from 48 nations, confirming evidence of direct fraud and coercion across 29 countries spanning Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America.
Victims, predominantly men aged between 18 and 60 from economically vulnerable backgrounds, were targeted with promises of high-paying jobs such as security guards, drivers, construction workers, and cleaners.
For Bangladeshi nationals, investigators uncovered business visas issued under the guise of civilian employment.
Upon arrival in Russia, recruits had their passports and mobile phones confiscated
before being forced under extreme pressure to sign military contracts written exclusively in Russian.
The report noted that victims received minimal military training before being dispatched to high-risk frontline positions in Ukraine.
The commission classified these coordinated activities as human trafficking and severe human rights violations, urging Russian authorities to halt foreign recruitment, release victims, and assist in prosecuting trafficking syndicates.
Local non-governmental organisation BRAC previously highlighted similar trafficking patterns, citing news reports indicating that at least 54 Bangladeshi nationals have died in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
