The war in Ukraine requires more and more human resources from Russia. Along with the mobilization campaign, recruitment of labor migrants into the ranks of Wagner Private Military Company (Wagner PMC) was no less active. Booklets are handed out in Sakharovo migration center and migrants are offered to serve in the army. Brochures are also distributed in mosques, near metro stations, information is sent through social media.
The media have repeatedly reported about the Kyrgyzstanis who died in the combat zone, who went to fight after the announcement of the special military operation.
Since the end of last year, migrants have been recruited for restoration work in Ukrainian cities that are under the control of the Russian military.
24.kg news agency tried to find out why Kyrgyzstanis go to Ukraine to fight or work.
Front in exchange for freedom
Since the beginning of the armed conflict in Ukraine, local media have written about at least 15 killed natives of Kyrgyzstan. At least four of them were serving sentences in Russian prisons for the crimes they committed. Instead of the long-awaited release from places of deprivation of liberty, their relatives received a cargo 200.
It is still not known how the citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic convicted in the Russian Federation ended up in Ukraine and how they died. This information is not provided by the authorities.
Relatives of the killed Kyrgyzstanis said they were asked to bury the bodies according to traditions, but without opening the coffin.
The number of Kyrgyzstanis serving in the ranks of Wagner PMC is unknown. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not have such information.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry told 24.kg news agency that the Russian side does not provide quantitative and other data on the dead natives and citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic.
«Information about the participation of citizens of Kyrgyzstan in hostilities in Ukraine mainly comes from the media, as well as from their relatives,» the Foreign Ministry commented.
It should be noted that in accordance with the Criminal Code of the Kyrgyz Republic, criminal liability is provided for participation in armed conflicts or hostilities on the territory of a foreign state.
They fight voluntarily
The Foreign Affairs Ministry also assured that negotiations are underway with the Russian side on the inadmissibility of involving Kyrgyzstanis in the war.
«This issue was also raised during the latest consultations with the Russian side, including the expression of concern and a request to notify foreign agencies about citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic who have decided to participate in the hostilities. Based on the analysis, it is assumed that citizens voluntarily agree to participate in hostilities on the territory of Ukraine,» the Foreign Ministry informed.
Diplomats and representatives of the Kyrgyz diaspora in Russia are constantly conducting explanatory work among compatriots.
The latter note that it is mainly those who are in a hopeless, a difficult life situation or in trouble with the law who agree to fight in Ukraine.
«We were looking for one person who deceived several women, taking a large amount of money from them. One of them said that, judging by his social media posts, he was in Ukraine. Such scammers also agree to fight,» Ulan Koshmatov, a representative of the diaspora, said.
According to him, there are guys among the killed in this war who were convicted of robbery.
«There is an active recruitment going on in prisons. We learn that the citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic went to fight only after receiving a cargo 200. These are different people, some say that this is their own business,» Ulan Koshmatov added.
It is worth noting that many leaders of Kyrgyz groups in Russia did not agree to publicly comment on the situation.
On condition of anonymity, they said that some Kyrgyz, who grew up in the Russian Federation and received Russian citizenship, go to serve in the army voluntarily, on a contract basis, no one is forcing them.
According to them, four natives of the Kyrgyz Republic in Sverdlovsk Oblast received the bodies of their sons who fought in Ukraine. Five convicts agreed to join the Wagner PMC ranks in this region.
«I know four who were in prison and returned from Ukraine. They were released as it was promised to them,» one of the people from among the migrants told.
According to another person, one of the convicted Kyrgyz voluntarily went to the front and, having served his term under the contract, returned to his parents in Moscow.
Where is our son?
The leaders of the Kyrgyz diaspora in Russia say that every day they receive letters from the Kyrgyz Republic from parents asking for help in finding out whether their son really continues to serve his sentence in a prison colony, or he went to the front.
«Everyone knows that people are recruited for the war in prisons, so if their son does not get in touch, they immediately start looking for him. After all, almost all Kyrgyz here ended up in a prison through stupidity — young, daring,» they say.
The issue of extradition of Kyrgyz convicted in Russia was also raised in the Parliament. Since the beginning of 2023, at least 19 people have been extradited. Other 38 citizens are expected to be transferred.
It should be noted that 459 Kyrgyzstanis serving sentences in Russian prisons refused extradition to their homeland.
According to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeenbek Kulubaev, there are 1,777 people in Russian prisons. These data are refuted by the mothers of convicted migrants.
According to Gulmira Shakenova, there are more than 3,000 Kyrgyzstanis in Russian pre-trial detention centers and prisons.
«One or two people join the parent group every week. In the last year alone, our WhatsApp group has grown by 150 people. Most are convicted of drug dealing. These citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic are from 19 to 25 years old. We believe they were set up,» she said.
According to Asel Asanova, the convicts do not believe that they can leave the prison. Relatives are afraid for the safety of their children, they are especially worried about recruitment into the Wagner PMC.
«The other day, one guy was sentenced to eight years in prison in Krasnoyarsk. They don’t give less. He does not believe that he can return, and he said that he would go to Ukraine,» she said.
They are looking for job
Taxi driver Nurlan (name was changed) has been providing one more service since the new year. Once a week, he brings an average of about five migrants to the border with Ukraine. Then they move on their own.
According to him, welders, plumbers, builders, and unskilled workers go to work in the Russian-controlled territories. Migrants are attracted by good wages.
«Ninety percent of migrants have loans. And they are promised a good salary, a stable job. When the situation is not so stable in the Russian Federation, migrants try to earn some money,» Nurlan told.
He also told that his compatriot had recently called Wagner in his presence and asked for service. «As I understand, he has financial problems. He told me that even the Russians themselves are standing in line to join the ranks of this PMC,» he added.
City without people
Forty-year-old Maksat (name was changed) has been in Mariupol since December 2022. He is paid up to 150,000 rubles a month. He says that all conditions have been created and the food is good.
«We came here because there were trusted men. Otherwise, I would not agree. I got into a good team. We have fewer Kyrgyz here, more Tajiks and Uzbeks. I extended the contract for another six months,» the man said.
According to Maksat, they are restoring destroyed buildings and roads in Mariupol.
«It is quiet in Mariupol. Only about 20-30 percent of local residents remained. There are a lot of destroyed buildings, we are restoring. There are few people here, there is no one at all in some areas. We did not communicate with the locals, but they understand that we are only workers, we did not notice a negative attitude on their part,» he added.
Illegal and dangerous work
Anisa Dzheenbekova, first vice president of Kyrgyz Birimdigi interregional public organization and lawyer, says there is no state program on attracting labor force to Lugansk, Donetsk and Mariupol.
She stressed that migrants go to work illegally. They have neither employment contracts nor work permits.
Human rights defenders also receive complaints about non-payment of wages. According to them, migrants are paid regularly only the first couple of months.
Some migrants leave the territory of the Russian Federation, being aware that they are on the black list of the Federal Migration Service for administrative violations. Some, due to their legal illiteracy, find new problems. These problems are solved by the diplomatic staff. With the assistance of diasporas and human rights activists, the Embassy has to decide how to take out compatriots who find themselves in the conflict zone.
According to Anisa Dzheenbekova, they are now solving such a problem with two Kyrgyzstanis who ended up in Ukraine. One has an expired passport and has administrative violations; he was banned from entering Russia. The second is in the black list of the Russian Federation. Lawyers and diplomats have just begun work on his case.
«Those who are stuck there have only two options: Russia must open a green corridor for them to leave for their homeland. But it’s a very long way. Or they can surrender to the Ukrainian side. Then they can be sentenced to 20 years behind bars there,» the vice president of the public organization said.
Lawyers urge Kyrgyzstanis who are working in another country to not take risks and not to accept offers to go to war, and offers to work in a dangerous region.
