Russia claims 88,000 Ukrainian recruits from occupied territories, rights group reports

A human rights organization says Russia has officially registered at least 88,000 residents from Ukraine's temporarily occupied territories as participants in its military operation. The Eastern Human Rights Group documented these recruitment figures from areas under Russian control.

According to the Eastern Human Rights Group, these 88,000 individuals from occupied Ukrainian territories have been officially recognized by Russian authorities as participants in what Moscow calls its 'special military operation' (SVO). The documentation represents a significant recruitment effort by Russia from civilian populations in areas it controls. Such forced or coerced military recruitment from occupied territories violates international humanitarian law. The figure underscores the scale of Russia's reliance on manpower from conquered regions to sustain its military operations.