A Ukrainian general has analyzed how many foreign mercenaries Russia used in the war. He also described how badly the Kremlin treated these soldiers.
It has long been reported that Russia used foreign mercenaries in the war in Ukraine to compensate for its own losses. Ukrainian Brigadier General Dmytro Usov has now spoken for the first time about the extent: According to his analysis, Moscow has deployed 18,000 mercenaries from 128 countries, as reported by the specialist portal “Defense Post”.
As Usov explained at a conference, Russia does not treat mercenaries well. Many of them were tricked or forced into the army. “The main motive of most of these mercenaries is financial gain,” he said.
Russia left mercenaries in Ukrainian captivity
According to the report, nearly 3,400 of the 18,000 foreign troops were killed. Many mercenaries were taken prisoner by Ukraine. There are currently prisoners in Kiev from 37 countries serving on the Russian side. According to Usov, who is also secretary of the Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, Russia has shown no interest in repatriating the mercenaries.
“Russia has not asked for any foreign nationals to be exchanged, except for North Korean citizens,” he said. North Korean soldiers made up the majority of mercenaries in the Ukraine war. Estimates range between 10,000 and 30,000 North Koreans deployed.
Ukraine wants to stop recruiting mercenaries
Usov explained that the mercenaries recruited by Russia were part of a broader Kremlin strategy, according to the Defense Post. Launched in 2023 to build a global recruiting network to offset heavy losses on the battlefield. According to various estimates, between 135,000 and 220,000 soldiers have fallen from President Vladimir Putin’s forces since 2022.
Usov stressed that Ukraine is trying to stop Russian recruitment efforts. Among others, the Ukrainian coordination center, the defense intelligence agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are active. For example, the number of mercenaries from Nepal could be reduced: between 2023 and 2024 there were 1,000 troops, but by October 2025 the number would fall to just one.
