Young Iraqis Lured to Fight for Russia Amid Economic Despair

Young Iraqis are increasingly drawn to fight for Russia in Ukraine, lured by promises of financial security and a Russian passport. Mohammed Imad, a 24-year-old from Musayab, south of Baghdad, recently posted a TikTok video from a battlefield in Ukraine, with the caption “Pray for me” next to a Russian flag. His mother, Zeinab Jabbar, revealed that he traveled to Russia without the family’s knowledge, attracted by offers of a monthly salary of $2,800—significantly higher than what he could earn at home—and a sign-up bonus of up to $20,000.

Months passed with no news, only speculation about his fate. His mother described the agony of uncertainty, saying, “We Iraqis have seen so many wars… we have had enough.” The ongoing conflict has roots in decades of violence in Iraq, marked by the US-led invasion that ignited sectarian strife and the rise of the Islamic State group. With unemployment soaring and corruption rampant, many young Iraqis see military service abroad as the only path to a better life.

The recruitment strategy heavily relies on social media platforms like TikTok and Telegram, where influencers promote these opportunities. One such recruiter on TikTok claims, “Give me an Iraqi soldier and a Russian weapon, and we will liberate the world from Western colonialism.” These channels not only target Iraqi youth but also reach potential recruits from Syria, Egypt, and beyond, offering guidance on military terms in Russian and even assistance with visa applications.

As families like Mohammed’s search for answers, they encounter a landscape filled with both hope and despair. Relatives of other missing Iraqis shared similar stories, revealing that three of four men who traveled to Russia for military service are unaccounted for, while one was returned home deceased. The situation has prompted families to take to social media, hoping to uncover the fate of their loved ones.

Families are left grappling with a heavy sense of loss and stigma. Mohammed’s sister, Faten, spends hours online trying to trace any leads about her brother, who was reportedly killed by a Ukrainian drone. The emotional toll on families is immense, as many believe that social media propaganda played a critical role in misleading young men into conflict. Faten expressed her anguish, stating, “If he is dead, we want his body… it is a shame that young men are going to die in Russia.”

The broader context reveals that the ongoing war in Ukraine has attracted thousands of foreign fighters. While North Korea is known to have sent the largest contingent, many Iraqis have also joined the Russian ranks, often driven by economic necessity rather than ideological beliefs. Ukraine’s embassy in Iraq has estimated that around 3,500 foreign fighters are currently aligned with Ukrainian forces, receiving standard army pay. Estimates of Iraqi fighters on the Russian side vary, but they are believed to number in the hundreds.

The Iraqi government has attempted to maintain a neutral stance regarding the conflict, though some officials express concern over the implications of young men fighting abroad. In recent months, Iraqi authorities have warned against the dangers of recruitment tactics targeting vulnerable youth, emphasizing the risks of being labeled as mercenaries, which carries a significant social stigma.

As this troubling trend continues, the families of young Iraqis like Mohammed Imad are left with heart-wrenching uncertainty and a desire for answers. The conflict in Ukraine has shown that the struggles of young men seeking better futures can lead them down paths fraught with danger and loss, while the quest for financial stability can sometimes come at an unimaginable cost.