Russia has long regarded Belarus as a convenient reserve for topping up its manpower in the war against Ukraine, especially after suffering heavy losses at the front. Minsk’s economic dependence, the political vulnerability of Aliaksandr Lukashenka's regime and the legal uncertainty around the Union State create conditions in which the Kremlin can act with considerable freedom. In the Belarusian corner of the internet, in recent months a large number of adverts offering Belarusians the chance to sign a contract with the Russian army, have appeared.
They are circulated everywhere – in Telegram channels, in Viber chats and in local community pages where people discuss everyday issues. At times it looks almost surreal: nestled between posts about selling vegetables or finding a tutor, a sudden offer appears promising a "high salary, benefits and Russian citizenship" in return for going to war. Investigations by DW, TVNET, CityDog and Current Time have documented a sharp increase in such posts.
The human rights initiative Belpol regularly highlights examples of adverts in which recruiters use Belarusian phone numbers to inspire trust. On Belpol’s Telegram channel you can see messages promising huge payouts, help with loans, "annulment of criminal convictions" and fast-track Russian citizenship. On X, the OSB Belpol account posts screenshots of ads in which Belarusians are offered a contract with a one-off payment of 4.35 million roubles and rapid issuance of a Russian passport.
These examples are not isolated incidents but part of a systematic campaign targeting socially vulnerable people. Belarusians are promised the equivalent of tens of thousands of euros, high salaries, housing, food, a military pension and life insurance. Some adverts even talk about "sorting out problems with the law," which is particularly dangerous given that participation in an armed conflict abroad falls under the article on mercenary activities in Belarus' criminal code which carries a prison term of up to seven years.
Recruiters insist that the service is "legal," claiming it is not mercenary activity but "service in the army of the Union State." Research shows that among those recruited, the majority are men from small towns and villages, people on low incomes, with debts or with existing legal problems. Many do not realise the legal consequences and some are simply looking for quick money, without understanding that they will be sent to the most dangerous sectors of the front. Human rights activists point out that foreign contract soldiers are often placed in assault units, where casualty rates are particularly high.
The recruitment scheme is simple and effective. A person sees an advert on social media and writes to the recruiter, who is using a Belarusian phone number. They are then told about payments, benefits and the supposed "legality" of the service.
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