Russia compiled a list of countries from which mercenaries cannot be recruited for the war with Ukraine. Belarus was not included
Russia has imposed restrictions on the recruitment of mercenaries from a number of countries previously considered "friendly". According to information from the publication "Vazhnye Istorii" (Important Stories), recruiters have been given a list of states whose citizens are now prohibited from signing contracts for service. The list could include about 40 countries worldwide.
Relatives of Kenyans recruited by Russia protest in the country's capital, Nairobi. Photo: AFP via Getty Images
The list primarily includes countries in Africa, the Arab world, and some other states, including China, India, Brazil, South Africa, Turkey, Cuba, Afghanistan, Iran, and Venezuela. The list began to be circulated in early 2026 among recruiters working in various directions.
The decision to reduce the list of countries is not officially explained. It is assumed that it may have been related to diplomatic negotiations. Some states, such as India, Sri Lanka, or Nepal, had previously appealed to the Russian authorities with a demand to stop the recruitment of their citizens for participation in military operations. After this, individual countries were included in the prohibited list.
Among these countries is Kenya, whose citizens became one of the important sources of replenishment for the Russian army. It is reported that some citizens of African countries ended up on the front lines by deception, through promises of work or by other means that later caused complaints and protests from their relatives. In some cases, people disappeared after arriving and signing a contract, and their subsequent fate remained unknown.
It is also reported that the list may be expanded. Some bloggers claim that new countries have been added to it, but there is no official confirmation of these changes. At the same time, recruitment in some regions, according to sources from "Vazhnye Istorii", continues.
According to data from the Ukrainian project "I Want to Live", by autumn 2025, Russia had recruited more than 10,000 foreign mercenaries. Citizens of countries now included in the "stop-list" accounted for 37% of the total number of foreigners. Among them, Cuba (more than 1000 people), Nepal (about 800), and Sri Lanka (more than 700) lead. The largest number of mercenaries comes from EAEU states: Tajikistan (more than 1500 people), Belarus (over 1300), and Kazakhstan (more than 1100).
In 2025, citizens of several African states were actively recruited, including Ghana, Cameroon, and Kenya.
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