Russian security forces are expanding an unprecedented campaign of forceful recruitment of migrants, turning them into a primary source for replenishing military losses. Large-scale raids conducted by the Investigative Committee deliberately target construction sites, markets, and public spaces with the sole purpose of capturing vulnerable foreign nationals with Russian citizenship.
Statistical data reveals a dramatic picture of forced mobilization. Since the beginning of 2025, around 100,000 people have been detained, with an impressive 30,000 directly sent to the military zone of combat operations in Ukraine. Migrants now constitute more than 15% of the total mobilization contingent.
Behind this policy lies a critical shortage of volunteers, caused by extremely high human losses - between 30-35 thousand military personnel monthly. Experts predict that pressure on migrant communities will intensify, especially after the unsuccessful summer offensive.
A key figure in this process is the head of the Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, who uses mobilization data as a tool to demonstrate "effectiveness" to political leadership. Human rights advocates are sounding the alarm that in modern Russia, obtaining a passport and work carries a deadly risk of forcible dispatch to war.
The large-scale operation reveals systematic pressure on the most vulnerable social groups, turning migrants into a buffer zone for replenishing military losses without any alternative or protection.