The United Kingdom has imposed sanctions on a Russian woman accused of recruiting Nigerians and other foreign nationals to fight alongside Russian forces in the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The woman, identified as Alexandrovna Polina Azarnykh, was sanctioned on May 5 under the UK’s Global Irregular Migration and Trafficking in Persons Sanctions Regulations 2025.
According to British authorities, Azarnykh allegedly coordinated the movement of foreign nationals from several countries, including Nigeria, Egypt, Iraq, Morocco, Syria, Yemen and Côte d’Ivoire, through Russia for deployment in the conflict against Ukraine.
The UK government said her activities formed part of efforts backed by Moscow to undermine Ukraine, alleging that she facilitated the travel of recruits who were later enlisted to fight for Russian forces.
As part of the sanctions, Azarnykh faces an asset freeze, a travel ban and disqualification from serving as a company director.
A report by the [BBC](https://www.bbc.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com) earlier this year alleged that the former teacher operated a Telegram channel with more than 21,000 followers, which she reportedly used to attract young men from Africa and the Middle East into Russia’s military ranks.
The report claimed that hundreds of invitation letters were issued to prospective recruits, enabling them to enter Russia after submitting their passport details. Many of the recruits were said to have come from countries such as Syria, Egypt and Yemen.
Several recruits and relatives interviewed by the broadcaster alleged that they were promised non-combat roles, attractive salaries and pathways to Russian citizenship, only to find themselves deployed to the battlefield. Some also claimed they were unaware they could not withdraw after signing military contracts.
Azarnykh reportedly denied accusations that she deceived or threatened recruits.
One Syrian recruit identified as Omar alleged that he and others were stranded at a Moscow airport before being taken to a recruitment centre, where they were offered financial incentives and citizenship prospects. He claimed the reality on the battlefield differed sharply from what had been promised.
The BBC said it spoke with multiple foreign fighters allegedly linked to the recruitment network, as well as relatives of several men reported missing or killed after joining Russian forces.
The development comes amid growing international concern over the recruitment of foreign nationals into the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
A recent report by the International Federation for Human Rights, working alongside Truth Hounds and the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law, alleged that Russia had enlisted about 27,000 foreign nationals from 130 countries since the war began in 2022.
The organisations said many of the recruits were undocumented migrants, students or detainees from regions including sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East. While some joined voluntarily, the report claimed others were misled or pressured into enlistment.
FIDH President, Alexis Deswaef, said foreign recruits had become part of Russia’s war effort and were frequently deployed to high-risk positions along the front lines.
The rights groups further argued that some of the recruitment practices could amount to human trafficking and may warrant scrutiny under international humanitarian and human rights laws.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the conflict has drawn thousands of foreign fighters on both sides, with international organisations repeatedly raising concerns over recruitment methods and the treatment of combatants.
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