On Human trafficking and grave human rights violations linked to the recruitment of non-Russian nationals, in particular from Africa, for Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine

B100175/2026

European Parliament resolution on Human trafficking and grave human rights violations linked to the recruitment of non-Russian nationals, in particular from Africa, for Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine

(2026/2641(RSP))

The European Parliament,

having regard to its previous resolutions on Russia and Ukraine,

having regards to Rule 150 of its Rules of Procedure,

whereas, since 24 February 2022, Russia has been waging a full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine;

whereas Russian forces have suffered over a million casualties since the beginning of the war; with tens of thousands killed or seriously wounded monthly;

whereas, to sustain its war of aggression and avoid conscription in main cities, Russia uses the systematic recruitment, deception and trafficking of non-Russian nationals to fight its war of aggression against Ukraine;

whereas thousands of Cuban nationals are fighting alongside Russian forces against Ukraine constituting the largest sources of foreign mercenaries; whereas such massive participation of Cuban nationals could not be possible without the knowledge and approval of the Cuban regime;

whereas Russia has been recruiting an increasing number of African nationals for its war of aggression; whereas many of those recruited have been misled with promises of employment, education or residency, had their documents confiscated, and have been subjected to coercion or threats; whereas Russian authorities have denied illegally recruiting African citizens to fight in Ukraine despite overwhelming evidence;

whereas Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla - daughter of the former South African president - is being investigated in connection with the recruitment of South Africans into the Russian Army; whereas Kenyan police has charged the head of a recruitment agency with recruiting ‘for the purpose of exploitation by means of deception’; whereas the Kenyan National Intelligence Service confirmed a total of 1 000 Kenyans have been recruited to fight for Russia in the war;

whereas Russia deploys a similar recruitment tactic among nationals from other continents; whereas in 2024 India and Nepal broke up networks that lured their citizens to Russia under the pretext of employment; whereas thousands of Central Asian Nationals - often migrant workers residing in Russia - have been recruited; whereas these cases accumulate to deceptive, coercive, and exploitative practices, amounting to trafficking and human rights abuses demonstrated by Russia to sustain manpower for the war of aggression;

1. Reiterates its strongest condemnation of Russia’s continued war of aggression against Ukraine; deplores Russia’s systematic exploitation of foreign nationals to sustain its military campaign;

2. Strongly condemns all forms of human trafficking, forced recruitment and deceptive contracting of non-Russian nationals to serve in Russia’s armed forces;

3. Urges governments of states affected by Russia’s practices to supress the deceptive recruitment by targeting local recruitment cells, forbidding their citizens from taking up employment with Russia;

4. Strongly condemns the Cuban regime for its complicity in Russia’s war of aggression by allowing its citizens to fight as mercenaries alongside Russian forces; considers that the Cuban regime must not continue to benefit from privileged cooperation with the EU; calls for the termination of PDCA with Cuba;

5. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, and the Secretary-General of the United Nations.