Summary
Many labor migrants from Central Asia living in Russia are being pressured or forced to join Russia’s military and fight in Ukraine. Some face threats, detention, or abuse unless they "volunteer," and many are sent to dangerous front-line positions.
Key Facts
- Hushruzjon Salohidinov, a 26-year-old Tajik man, was detained in Russia and pressured to join the military to avoid threats and abuse.
- Migrants from Central Asian countries like Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan are targeted for conscription in Russia’s war in Ukraine.
- Officials use threats such as imprisonment, deportation, or abuse to force migrants to join the Russian military.
- Migrants often face xenophobic and Islamophobic treatment during recruitment.
- Many migrants are "volunteered" after being detained or tricked into signing papers.
- The life expectancy for these recruited migrants on the front line is estimated to be about four months.
- Russian authorities have been rounding up non-Slavic migrants since 2023 under various pretexts like expired permits or missing registrations.
- Human rights groups report these migrants are sent to fight with little regard for their lives.
