Coordination HQ: almost 46 thousand foreigners from 151 countries have signed contracts with the Russian army, more in nine months of 2026 than in all of 2025
Place: KyivRegion: Ukraine-wide and the front lineautomatic summary
Where the versions diverge
The figures come only from the Ukrainian side, the Coordination Headquarters; The Kyiv Independent retells them citing the agency and adds survey data from prisoners. Russian sources in the selection neither mention nor comment on these figures.
What Russia reports
no reports found
What Ukraine reports
automatic summary Suspilne and RBC-Ukraine relay a speech by Dmytro Usov, secretary of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, at the Crimea Global conference: the identities of almost 46 thousand foreigners from 151 countries who signed contracts with the Russian armed forces have been established; the Russian Defence Ministry plans 18 500 contracts this year, and 16 168 have already been signed. Later Ukrainska Pravda gives updated data from the "I Want to Live" project: 45 959 foreigners, Russia recruits about 1 800 people a month, most of them in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Belarus.
“Сьогодні ми маємо вже цифру майже 46 тисяч іноземців , які підписали контракти, і це вже 151 країна світу”
“В плані Міноборони РФ було підписати (контакти — ред.) з 18 500 іноземцями, то вже підписано 16 168.”
“Наразі Росія вербує близько 1 800 іноземців щомісяця.”
- Росія залучила майже 46 тисяч іноземців на війну проти України — RBC-Ukraine, 19 October, 15:00
- Майже 46 тисяч іноземців воюють проти України у лавах армії РФ — Коордштаб — Suspilne, 19 October, 15:53
- Росія вербує близько 1 800 іноземців щомісяця — Ukrainska Pravda, 20 October, 15:19
What independent sources report
automatic summary The Kyiv Independent, citing the Coordination Headquarters, writes of 45 959 foreigners from 151 countries and unrecognised territories; at the current pace, the agency estimates, the number of new contract soldiers could reach about 21 500 by the end of the year. The outlet also cites survey data: 46.7% of recruits signed the contract to obtain Russian citizenship, and 28% did not know they would be sent into combat.
“A total of 45,959 foreigners have signed contracts with the Russian Armed Forces since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022”
“Further survey findings revealed that 46.7% of recruits signed the contract to obtain Russian citizenship, while 28% were unaware they would be sent into combat.”
- Almost 46,000 foreigners have signed contracts with Russian army since 2022, Ukraine says — Kyiv Independent, 20 October, 19:15
Confirmation
Confirmation: claimed by one side only
Only one side reports the event (no independent international source); its statements are presented as statements.
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