Russia has forcibly sent Bangladeshis to fight in the war: UN

Bangla Press Desk: The United Nations has uncovered evidence that citizens from 29 countries—including Bangladesh—have been recruited into the Russian military and deployed to the war in Ukraine through deception and coercion. This information comes from a report by an independent UN investigative commission, established following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as cited by the American newspaper *The Washington Post*.

The report, presented on Monday (October 26) to the UN General Assembly’s Human Rights Committee, states that Moscow has incorporated foreign nationals—aged 18 to 60—into its armed forces by violating international law through inducements and force. Many of those recruited were targeted due to their economic vulnerability, marginalized status, or limited educational background.

According to the report, victims were brought to Russia through travel agencies and local brokers operating in their respective countries. Upon arrival, they were compelled to sign Russian-language contracts with the Ministry of Defence—documents they could not understand. The UN commission noted that the recruits were left stunned when they realized they would be required to participate directly in the war in Ukraine as part of the Russian military.

The commission investigated citizens from 48 countries and found concrete evidence of such deceptive recruitment practices involving nationals from 29 of those nations. These 29 countries are: Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Bolivia, Brazil, Botswana, Cameroon, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ghana, Honduras, Jordan, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Peru, the Philippines, South Africa, Somalia, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Yemen, and Zimbabwe.

The same report also highlights the devastating impact of Russia’s sustained attacks on Ukraine’s power and energy infrastructure. The commission has stated that the deliberate disruption of electricity services during the freezing winter—causing hardship for hundreds of thousands of civilians—amounts to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

At a press conference, the commission’s chair, Erik Møse, noted that the attacks on energy facilities constitute war crimes, as they directly targeted civilian infrastructure. This left ordinary people to endure inhumane suffering in freezing, pitch-black conditions.

The report highlights that the loss of power prevented elderly individuals—unable to use elevators during drone and missile strikes—from reaching shelters, while patients on life support in hospitals faced extreme, life-threatening risks. The report is based on testimonies from 255 victims, medical professionals, and members of civil society organizations across various regions, including Kyiv, gathered during the winter of 2025–26.

BP/SP