How Western tech helps funnel recruits into Russia’s war

A man scrolling through Facebook or searching on Google sees an advertisement from what looks like an ordinary staffing agency, promising construction work, a security job, a film role or help getting a Russian visa. Clicking through, he arrives at a polished recruitment website. Some even carry the logos of Western news organizations such as the BBC, falsely suggesting an endorsement. Behind this systematic online manipulation campaign is a Russian war recruitment machine — and much of it is running on Western digital channels, servers and other tech infrastructure.