Iraq warns citizens against recruitment into Russia–Ukraine war

Shafaq News – Baghdad

On Friday, Iraq’s Embassy in Moscow warned citizens about recruitment schemes drawing young Iraqis into combat roles in the Russia–Ukraine war, reaffirming Baghdad’s neutral stance on the conflict.

In a statement, the embassy cautioned against “attempts to entrap young Iraqis into participation in the Russia–Ukraine war,” stressing that there is no recognized Iraqi community leadership in Russia. It added that entry visas are only granted through official Russian diplomatic offices in Baghdad, Erbil, and Basra, and not through intermediaries or travel companies.

The embassy pledged to pursue “diplomatic and legal measures” to protect Iraqis from exploitation and reiterated Iraq’s “firm position of neutrality regarding the Russia–Ukraine crisis and its constant call for peaceful solutions through dialogue.”

The warning follows a Shafaq News analysis highlighting how thousands of Iraqis have been drawn into the war since 2022 through deceptive recruitment and smuggling networks. Many were promised jobs or safe passage to Europe, but ended up contracted as fighters for either Russian or Ukrainian forces.

According to the report, more than 5,000 Iraqis are estimated to have joined combat roles on both sides, often under coercion or pretenses. Some were stranded in border regions, while others appealed to return home after realizing they had been misled.