The foreign POWs stuck in Ukrainian prison limboListen to this articleUkraine has captured many foreign soldiers fighting for Russia. Agence France-Presse (AFP) spoke to several in a rare visit to a prison in western Ukraine holding captured foreign prisoners of war (POWs). Then came the lure of the Russian military, offering a salary more than 10 times what he could get in Togo. Since November, most foreign men aged 18 to 65 must register with the Russian military to obtain permanent residence or a passport. Other citizens from several African countries have repeatedly told AFP they were forcibly recruited into Moscow's army, lured by deceptive civilian job offers.

Source: Bangkok Post January 30, 2026 04:21 UTC