September 4, 2026
Peruvian Recruit Says His Thumb Was Cut Off for Refusing to Hand Over His Bank Account
A Peruvian recruit who fought in Russia's army says he was tortured for two days and had his thumb cut off after refusing to hand over his bank account access - and that his captors then planned to kill him and report him missing in combat instead.
What Happened
On August 28, 2026, a 26-year-old Peruvian man named Oscar Alberto Hualpa Maquera wrote about what happened to him in a Facebook group for Latin Americans living in Russia. He said he had gone to fight and never refused deployment to the front - he described fighting "bravely against drones," continuing to advance even after being wounded in the leg and concussed by a mine.
The post says:
"My name is Oscar Alberto Hualpa Maquera. I am 26 years old and I am from Peru.
Please make my case go viral so that no other Latin American comes to these wars. I was tortured because I refused to hand over my bank card and password after returning from the front line. They tortured me for two days and were going to kill me, burn my body, and make it look as though I had gone missing in combat. Thank God, I was able to escape.
At no point did I refuse to go to the front. At the front, I fought bravely against the drones. Even with an injured foot and dazed after being hit by a mine, I kept advancing as far as I could.
I was tortured because I did not hand over my bank card or my banking password. My other comrades did hand over their bank cards and passwords. Even the commander of my entire unit has died."
The text was followed by Oscar's photo and 3 photos of a hand with thumb cut off.
Russian independent outlet "Sota" contacted Oscar and found out even more disturbing details - his right thumb was cut off by a Russian commander under call sign "Asik". He also told SOTA that he is currently in Luhansk, that an investigation into the people who tortured him is on, but that the case is being covered up. Currently he is awaiting repatriation, as earlier he sent his documents to his family in Peru, who have filed a formal application with Peru's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Pattern
Extracting a recruit's bank access by force is not an isolated act - Russians and their helpers have demonstrated attempts of "monetising" foreign recruits at all the stages - from contract signing to going missing in action. In one of the cases, Brazilian Tik Tokers lured their fellow citizens into Russia's army, took men to a notary falsely presented as a "military psychologist," confiscated their phones, and pressured them into signing what were actually powers of attorney - documents that let the recruiters drain their bank accounts. In Kenya, a separate network of brokers has built a business out of extracting money from the families,
What Can Victims Do
Peruvians and other foreign nationals lured into Russia's armed forces have an option to safely escape the battlefield with Ukraine's "I Want to Live" project. Don't hesitate and reach out - before Russian commanders come for your money and your life.