According to JAM News, Russia is actively recruiting citizens of Georgia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and other neighboring countries to fight in the war against Ukraine. Websites such as "Strength of the Motherland" offer them contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense, promising one-time payments of up to 2.5 million rubles, a monthly salary of 210,000 rubles, modern equipment, social benefits, and expedited Russian citizenship for the entire family.
According to the BBC and Mediazona, hundreds of Georgians, primarily from Abkhazia and South Ossetia, are already among the Russian contract soldiers. Meanwhile, the "Georgian Legion," numbering between 700 and 1,000 volunteers, is fighting on the Ukrainian side, which, according to experts, is pushing Moscow to create a "symbolic Georgian unit" for propaganda purposes.
Recruiters in Russia's regions can receive bonuses of up to $600,000 for recruiting foreigners. In the first nine months of 2025, Russia attracted approximately 330,000 new recruits.
