Peregraf — Hussein Allawi, an advisor to the Iraqi Prime Minister, said that nearly 5,000 Iraqi citizens have joined the ranks of the Russian army and were sent to front-line combat in the war against Ukraine, noting that Baghdad is coordinating with Moscow to address and curb the phenomenon.
In a statement to Al-Hadath television, Allawi said the Iraqi government is closely monitoring the recruitment of Iraqi nationals into the Russian military. "Fewer than 5,000 Iraqis have joined the ranks of the Russian army," he stated, adding that the exact number has not yet been finalized.
Allawi explained that a high-level committee has been formed by the Iraqi government to investigate the issue. The committee is currently exchanging information and data with Russian authorities to determine accurate figures and identify individual cases. He added that Iraq and Russia are taking joint measures to prevent further recruitment of Iraqi citizens into the Russian armed forces.
Earlier, Faiq Zidan, President of Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council, warned that Iraqi law imposes prison sentences on any individual who joins the armed forces of another country without official authorization from the Iraqi government.
According to media reports, Russian recruitment efforts have been carried out through several private companies that allegedly target unemployed youth by offering large financial incentives and the promise of Russian citizenship. These activities have reportedly focused on areas with high unemployment rates, particularly in central and southern Iraq.