Russia expanding recruitment of African mercenaries amid heavy losses in Ukraine war – Bloomberg

As reported by Ukrinform, Bloomberg reported this, citing a presentation obtained from people familiar with the work of Ukrainian intelligence. Russia is now turning its attention to countries with low levels of democracy, limited press freedom and weak judicial systems. The countries where Russia has stepped up recruitment include Zimbabwe, Burundi and Sierra Leone. According to the presentation, between January 1 and September 30, Russia recruited 699 men from Burundi, compared with 30 for the whole of 2025, and 530 Zimbabwean nationals, up from 65 previously. Other countries where a significant increase in recruitment has been observed include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Sudan and Cameroon.