Trafficked for War: UN Report Exposes Scheme Luring Citizens from Bangladesh and 29 Nations into Russian Forces

A United Nations independent international commission has revealed that citizens from 29 countries, including Bangladesh, have been trafficked into the Russian armed forces under the false pretext of civilian employment.

The findings are detailed in a report prepared for presentation at the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.

According to the investigation, vulnerable and economically disadvantaged individuals were targeted by recruitment networks offering lucrative jobs such as security guards, drivers, or factory workers. Upon arrival in Russia, many victims were stripped of their passports and coerced into signing military contracts written entirely in Russian. Consequently, numerous recruits found themselves deployed to the front lines of the Ukraine conflict, resulting in casualties, injuries, and missing persons.

The UN commission has identified these deceptive recruitment practices as human trafficking and serious human rights violations. It has strongly urged Russian authorities to halt such forced enlistments, release victims from military service, and prosecute those involved, while calling on governments worldwide to clamp down on transnational trafficking syndicates.