How Russia recruits Belarusians for the war in Ukraine: the methods and the consequences

Russia’s recruitment drive targeting Belarusians has become a key tool for boosting manpower on the battlefield, exploiting economic hardship and isolation. Russia has long considered Belarus a convenient reserve to replenish its human resources in the war against Ukraine, especially after suffering heavy losses at the front. Minsk’s economic dependence, the political weakness of Aleksandr Lukashenko’s regime and the legal uncertainty surrounding the Union State create conditions in which the Kremlin can operate with considerable freedom.

In the Belarusian corner of the internet, a large number of advertisements have appeared in recent months offering Belarusians the chance to sign a contract with the Russian army. They circulate everywhere — on Telegram channels, in Viber chats and on local community pages where people discuss everyday matters. Sometimes it looks almost surreal: placed between posts selling vegetables or looking for a tutor, an unexpected offer appears promising a “high salary, benefits and Russian citizenship” in exchange for going to war. Investigations by DW, TVNET, CityDog and Current Time have documented a significant increase in such posts.

The Belpol human-rights initiative regularly highlights examples of advertisements in which recruiters use Belarusian phone numbers to inspire trust. On Belpol’s Telegram channel you can see messages promising large payments, help with loans, “cancellation of criminal sentences” and expedited Russian citizenship. On X, the OSB Belpol account posts screenshots of advertisements in which Belarusians are offered a contract with a one-time payment of 4.35 million rubles and fast issuance of a Russian passport. These examples are not isolated incidents but part of a systematic campaign targeting people in social need.

What the recruiters promise: Belarusians are promised the equivalent of tens of thousands of euros, high salaries, housing, food, a military pension and life insurance. Some advertisements even talk about “solving problems with the law,” which is particularly dangerous given that participation in an armed conflict abroad falls under the mercenary-activity article of Belarus’s penal code, punishable by up to seven years in prison. Recruiters insist the service is “legal,” claiming it is not mercenary activity but “service in the army of the Union State.”

Who signs a contract? Research shows that among the recruits, most are men from small towns and villages, people with low incomes, debts or existing legal problems. Many do not understand the legal consequences and some simply seek quick money, without realizing they will be sent to the most dangerous sectors of the front. Human-rights activists stress that contracted foreign soldiers are often placed in assault units, where the casualty rate is particularly high.

The recruitment scheme is simple and effective. A person sees an advertisement on social media and messages the recruiter, who uses a Belarusian phone number. Then he is shown the payments, the benefits and the supposed “legality” of the service. After that, they are offered fast documentation and travel to Russia — most often via Smolensk or Pskov. There they sign a contract and become members of the Russian armed forces. At that point there is almost no way back.

For those who agree to sign a contract, the consequences can be tragic. Beyond the risk of being killed, they face criminal liability in Belarus, possible loss of citizenship or restrictions on their rights. Many end up as “cannon fodder” in someone else’s war, which they often barely understand.

The public and state response: Belarusian society has generally reacted to this with alarm. People complain about massive spam recruitment messages; some turn to the Interior Ministry, but there is practically no response. Lukashenko’s regime does not officially admit that recruitment is happening, but does nothing to stop it. Belarus is too dependent on Russian subsidies to confront the Kremlin openly. Moreover, mobilization measures inside the country are increasing, adding additional pressure on men of recruiting age.

The recruitment of Belarusians is not about random advertisements or one-off initiatives by individual actors. It is a coordinated campaign integrated into the Kremlin’s strategy for expanding manpower for the war against Ukraine. The legal framework of the Union State gives Moscow additional room for maneuver: formally, citizens of Belarus and Russia have “equal rights” and Russian institutions are trying to present this as “equal obligations,” including mandatory military service. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) warns that such an interpretation could become a basis for pressuring Belarusians and for efforts to mobilize them.

Russia is exploiting the vulnerability of Belarusian society, its informational isolation and Minsk’s political dependence, with the aim of turning Belarus into a source of manpower, as reported by Euronews.