Russian Armed Forces
The Russian Armed Forces are the military forces of the Russian Federation, subordinate to the Russian Ministry of Defence. They are the country’s principal military organization and perform national defence, troop training, and combat operations. Russia’s Federal State Statistics Service publishes data on contract service within the armed forces.
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Russia expands foreign military recruitment as 2026 contract numbers surpass 16,000
Russia is recruiting foreign fighters from across Asia, Africa, Latin America and other regions, with Ukrainian officials identifying nearly 49,000 recruits from 59 countries. The documented practice includes concealing military contracts behind civilian recruitment offers, restricting recruits’ freedom and withholding promised payments. More than 3,000 foreign recruits whose contracts have expired remain in the Russian military, according to the Coordination Staff.