Ukraine Coordination HQ: Russian Recruitment Stopped in 39 Countries, People From 51 Countries Captured as POWs

As of August 5, 2026, Ukraine has captured soldiers from 51 countries fighting in Russia's military. It has also managed to halt Russian recruitment of foreign nationals in 39 of those countries.

The figures come from Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, presented by its representative Andriy Skotsyk at the annual meeting of Ukrainian ambassadors.

How the Strategy Works

"The testimonies of POWs became the foundation for building an effective model of countering Russian recruitment," Skotsyk said. "Together with the Ukrainian MFA and the diplomatic corps, we invite journalists from different countries to interview POWs and tell the truth to their societies. After such materials are published, human rights organisations and families of POWs join in. This creates pressure on governments, which are forced to react."

See also: profiles of Russia's army foreign servicemen captured in Ukraine

The result of this systematic work - testimony, media, public pressure, diplomatic engagement - is that recruitment into the Russian army has stopped in 39 countries.

The Tools

At the ambassadors' meeting, Skotsyk also spoke of the launch of StopRussianRecruiters.org - a joint project of the Coordination HQ and Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The platform documents the recruitment of foreign nationals into the Russian army and is designed to draw international attention to the scale of the problem.

Two further projects were highlighted. "I Want to Find" is used by families from around the world trying to learn the fate of relatives who disappeared after signing contracts with the Russian military. "I Want to Live" allows foreign nationals already at the front to surrender safely to Ukrainian captivity.

Both projects are now available in five languages. Skotsyk noted that both have effectively expanded from Russia-focused tools into international ones - reflecting how far Russia's recruitment has spread, and how many countries are now dealing with the consequences.

Source: Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War