"Russians target Central Asian migrants for military recruitment in occupied Ukraine,"

The Russian authorities are actively pursuing Central Asian migrants in occupied Ukrainian territories to sign military contracts, the National Resistance Center reports on 9 February. Russia exploits labor migrants as a low-cost workforce for construction projects in occupied areas...

According to the Center, which is run by the Ukrainian government, Russian forces are attempting to compensate for significant front-line losses through mobilization in occupied territories and recruitment of mercenaries and migrants...

The National Resistance Center says Central Asian migrants working in occupied Ukrainian territories are a key target for Russian military recruitment, with efforts underway to compel them into signing contracts with the Russian military.

The Center emphasized that forced mobilization of Ukrainian citizens in occupied territories violates articles 49 and 51 of the Geneva Convention on the Protection of Civilian Persons in War. These regulations prohibit occupying forces from compelling civilian populations to serve in their armed forces...

The National Resistance Center urges local populations in occupied territories to avoid any contact with occupation structures, record, and document cases of forced recruitment into occupation forces, and report crimes committed by their representatives.