Russia Recruits Around 1,800 Foreigners a Month for Its Army
Data from the "Хочу жить" project show that as of 1 October, 45,959 foreigners had been identified as having signed contracts with Russia's armed forces. Russia is recruiting about 1,800 foreigners per month.

Russia continues to recruit foreign nationals into its military, signing up around 1,800 people each month. This comes from data compiled by the "Хочу жить" project, in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine.
According to the project, as of 1 October a total of 45,959 foreigners had been identified as having concluded contracts with the armed forces of the Russian Federation. They are citizens of 151 countries, as well as representatives of unrecognised territories.
What the figures show
The total cited in the source covers people whose identities have been established. It therefore reflects only those foreigners about whom the project has confirmed information.
The recruitment of foreign nationals is one of the ways Russia replenishes its forces in the war. The source gives no further details on recruitment methods, the countries of origin, or how many of these people are serving at the front.
/nginx/o/2026/10/20/17984748t1hb04a.jpg)

