Putin sends 16,000 mercenaries from Middle East to Ukraine

At a meeting with members of the Security Council Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday supported the idea of sending foreign mercenaries to fight in Ukraine .
Thus, Defence Minister Shoigu reported that "many applications have already been received, most of all from the Middle East - 16,000 people". This was reported on the Kremlin website.
The President supported the proposal as saying that "western sponsors of Ukraine" were already sending mercenaries to the war zone.
"So if you see that there are people who want to join on a voluntary basis, especially not for money, and help people residing in Donbass, well, we should meet them halfway," Putin said.
Thus, Russia has indirectly acknowledged a shortage of combat-ready units and is itself initiating the internationalization of the war with the involvement of fighters from the Middle East. There is no doubt that these are Syrian and Libyan fighters who work closely with the Russian side.
Latest news
Latest newsGreece Plans to Exclude Turkiye from Future Defense Contracts
20.Feb.2026
U.S.-Based Mars Launches Major Investment Project in Kazakhstan
20.Feb.2026
Parliamentary Elections 2026 in Armenia as a Geopolitical Referendum
20.Feb.2026
Russia and Ukraine Fail to Reach Agreement in Geneva
19.Feb.2026
The South Caucasus in U.S. Foreign Policy: Implications of High-Level Visits for Russian and Chinese Regional Aspirations
18.Feb.2026
Ukraine Imposes Personal Sanctions on Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko
18.Feb.2026
72% Against the Authorities: Economic Dissatisfaction Hits Record Levels in Turkiye
17.Feb.2026
Bulgaria Strengthens Defense: First American Stryker Vehicles Delivered
17.Feb.2026
Moscow Criticizes Plans to Build a U.S.-Backed Nuclear Power Plant in Armenia
16.Feb.2026
Washington expects Tbilisi to strengthen ties amid regional changes
15.Feb.2026

28 Feb 2026


