Peregraf — In an unexpected turn of events, a 22-year-old man from the Bradost region, who was officially reported killed last week in the Russia-Ukraine war, has contacted his father to confirm he is alive and safe.
Matin Wahab, a resident of Khrawa village in the Bradost area (Soran Administration, Erbil Governorate), called his father late Tuesday night, February 10. The contact came just four days after his family held a funeral service based on official reports of his death.
Wahab, who had been working in Erbil, initially disappeared in August 2024. While his family later discovered he had traveled to Russia, communication with him was completely severed in August 2025. Following an investigation, the family learned he had joined the Russian military, and four months later, they received further confirmation of his service.
Last week, the Soran Administration officially notified Wahab’s family of his death, citing evidence provided by Iraqi and Kurdish representatives in Russia. Based on this information, the family held a funeral service this past Saturday, February 7, 2026, and formally requested government assistance in repatriating his remains.
The family’s grief turned to disbelief when Wahab called his father yesterday evening. During the conversation, he confirmed he was safe and stated that the reports of his death were false. According to family members, Wahab was misled by a recruitment group and traveled to Russia in August 2024 without his family’s prior knowledge.
Nearly 5,000 Iraqis Have Joined the Russian Army
Hussein Allawi, an advisor to the Iraqi Prime Minister, recently stated that nearly 5,000 Iraqi citizens have joined the ranks of the Russian army and have been deployed to front-line combat in the conflict with Ukraine. He noted that Baghdad is coordinating with Moscow to address and manage this trend.
In a statement to Al-Hadath television on December 25, 2025, Allawi said the Iraqi government is closely monitoring the recruitment of Iraqi nationals. “Fewer than 5,000 Iraqis have joined the ranks of the Russian army,” he stated, adding that the exact figure has not yet been finalized.
Allawi explained that a high-level committee was formed by the Iraqi government to investigate the issue. The committee is currently exchanging 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, recruitment efforts have been conducted through several private companies that allegedly target unemployed youth by offering financial incentives and the promise of Russian citizenship. These activities have reportedly focused on areas with high unemployment, particularly in central and southern Iraq.