The Philippines investigates the secret deployment of its citizens to fight in Russia’s war against Ukraine

The Philippine Department of Migrant Workers, together with the Department of Justice and law enforcement agencies, has launched a large-scale investigation into illegal recruitment and human trafficking schemes in which Filipino citizens are recruited to fight alongside the Russian army in Ukraine. Source: Arab news

The authorities in Manila were prompted to take urgent action by an official report from Ukrainian military intelligence that a 39-year-old Filipino citizen recruited by Russian organizations in June 2026 had been killed in the Donetsk region, as well as reports that two more Filipino mercenaries had died.

Filipino recruiters use social media and Facebook ads, promising citizens affected by unemployment jobs as “security personnel” with monthly salaries of $1,100 to $2,300, expedited Russian citizenship, and special financial bonuses.

Earlier, immigration officers at Manila International Airport intercepted a group of four people traveling to Russia via Asian transit countries to be enlisted in military formations.

Philippine officials said they intend to shut down illegal recruitment channels and hold all participants in international human trafficking networks accountable. Manila is consulting with international organizations and requesting comprehensive information from the Ukrainian side about Filipino citizens involved in the war, with the aim of stopping the illegal flow of mercenaries into the combat zone.

Recall that India’s Ministry of External Affairs discovered that about 20 Indians who had traveled to Russia for jobs as support staff or assistants had ended up on the front lines in Ukraine. Journalists found that they had been deceived and forced to undergo military training, after which they were sent to fight in Ukraine.