Resolution on human trafficking and grave human rights violations linked to the recruitment of non-Russian nationals, in particular from Africa, for Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine

The European Parliament adopted by 479 votes to 17, with 43 abstentions, a resolution on human trafficking and grave human rights violations linked to the recruitment of non-Russian nationals, in particular from Africa, for Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine.

The text adopted in plenary was tabled by the EPP, S&D, ECR, Renew, Greens/EFA and The Left groups.

The resolution recalled that Russia is using deceptive recruitment tactics and coercion to recruit thousands of foreign nationals from different African states. It is also recruiting individuals from Cuba and South and Central Asia, to sustain its brutal, unprovoked, unjustified, illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. Investigative reports and several African states have revealed recruitment networks that systematically target individuals from low-income areas, mainly through social media platforms, with false promises of employment, education or citizenship.

One particular case concerns Francis Ndung’u Ndarua, a Kenyan national fraudulently recruited and sent to the front in Ukraine, illustrates the extreme cruelty of these practices. Furthermore, hundreds of African women have reportedly been deceived into working in drone-assembling factories in Russia under highly dangerous and exploitative conditions.

Parliament strongly condemned the trafficking and coercive recruitment of foreign nationals into Russia’s military service and war-related labour exploitation. It stressed that these practices are grave violations of human rights and international humanitarian law and may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. It urged all states concerned to investigate and combat foreign nationals’ recruitment and hold accountable all those conducting, facilitating or promoting it, to enhance vigilance among immigration officers, to proactively warn citizens of the dangers of travelling to Russia for alleged job or education offers and to facilitate the immediate repatriation of fraudulently recruited foreign nationals. Social media platforms are called on to meet their human rights responsibilities and cooperate with relevant authorities in identifying and removing content used by deceptive Russia-linked recruitment and human trafficking networks. According to Parliament, states are called on to hold these platforms accountable.

Parliament demanded that Russia immediately cease such recruitment practices and guarantee the unconditional repatriation of fraudulently recruited individuals.

Lastly, the EU and its Member States are called on to engage with the states concerned and support their efforts to tackle human trafficking and facilitate victims’ release and repatriation and to impose targeted sanctions on the individuals and entities responsible.