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$1,200 per Body: How Russian Human Traffickers Sell Slaves for the War in Ukraine
Russia’s war effort is increasingly fueled by human trafficking. Enslaved people are being sold to military commissariats for up to $1,200 each, as criminal networks and officials profit from forced conscription.
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A growing body of evidence suggests that Russia’s military recruitment drive is now entangled with the country’s vast network of modern slavery.
Human traffickers are supplying enslaved individuals to military commissariats, capitalizing on state incentives designed to encourage voluntary enlistment.
According to OSINT researcher Chris O’Wiki and Radio Liberty, Russian traffickers are exploiting official enlistment bonuses—offered by regional authorities to boost volunteer recruitment—to sell victims directly to military offices.
These payments, often between 35,000 and 100,000 rubles (approximately $430 to $1,240), have created a parallel market for forced enlistment.
Russia has the highest rate of modern slavery in Europe. The Global Slavery Index estimates that 1.9 million people are living in servitude in the country. Victims include migrant workers and Russian citizens in vulnerable conditions—some with disabilities, others targeted due to poverty or lack of documentation.
Traffickers previously profited by selling people into labor exploitation, but with war demand rising and enlistment payouts increasing, the frontlines have become the most lucrative destination. Reports indicate that slaves are now being funneled directly to military commissariats in exchange for referral bonuses.
Once in custody, many victims are drugged or physically abused to ensure cooperation. Contracts are signed under pressure, often using stolen or substituted identification and banking details. Some recruits report having no memory of signing military agreements. In numerous cases, their pay and benefits are redirected to those who trafficked them.
Military officials are frequently aware of these schemes. In Ust-Kut, Irkutsk region, opposition politician Alexey Tupitsyn reported that conscription office staff received a million rubles (approximately $12,400) in bonuses after falsely claiming to have personally recruited individuals delivered by traffickers.
Individual cases reveal the mechanics of this system. Andrey, a man from Penza with cognitive impairments, was lured to Samara with the promise of a high-paying job. Instead, he was held on a remote farm and prepared for military handoff. After briefly receiving his passport back for processing, he managed to escape and call his family.
Another man, Ivan from the Volga region, was abducted while seeking seasonal work. He was held in two different “workhouses” and told he would be sent to the war. After two escape attempts, he reached a forest and contacted relatives, who coordinated his rescue with local volunteers.
Such stories represent only a fraction of what rights groups believe is a much larger system. According to reports, most victims of forced military recruitment never make contact with advocacy groups. Many are killed shortly after deployment. Their wages and government benefits are often redirected to third parties through fraud.
Enlistment bonuses have become widespread across Russia. In 2024, the governor of Yaroslavl tripled the regional incentive to 100,000 rubles ($1,240). Similar programs operate in at least a dozen other regions. Official recruitment platforms encourage any “friend, relative, or acquaintance” to refer candidates—including local officials and military staff.
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Although Russia is a signatory to international anti-trafficking conventions, enforcement remains minimal. Only 53 slavery-related cases have gone to court in the last 15 years, despite the growing evidence of systemic abuse and complicity.
As the war continues, human rights groups warn that Russia’s military machine is increasingly relying not only on volunteerism or mobilization—but on the buying and selling of human lives.
Earlier, Russia intensified efforts to recruit Africans into its military and defense sectors as part of a broader neo-colonial strategy. In countries like the Central African Republic, Wagner Group operatives have exploited poverty and instability to enlist local men for combat roles and women for forced labor in Russian-linked industries.
These recruitment efforts are backed by promises of pay, protection, or relocation—offers that often result in exploitation or abuse.
According to journalists and rights groups, Russia’s soft power campaign—via churches, Russian-language schools, and state media—also plays a role in grooming young Africans for enlistment.
Programs disguised as humanitarian aid or cultural exchange reportedly encourage loyalty to Moscow and depict military service as a path to opportunity. Analysts warn that this tactic allows Russia to outsource its war manpower needs while reinforcing its influence in resource-rich but vulnerable regions.
