Russians deceitfully recruited hundreds of Yemeni mercenaries to fight in Ukraine
24 November, 2024 Illustrative photo of Yemeni Houthis. Photo credits: AP. The Russian Armed Forces deceitfully recruited hundreds of Yemeni mercenaries to participate in hostilities against Ukraine.
The Financial Times reported on this. Yemeni mercenaries said they were promised high-paying jobs and even Russian citizenship. The Yemenis were reportedly recruited by a company affiliated with the Houthi group.
The Financial Times writes that the appearance of Yemeni mercenaries in Ukraine shows that the conflict is increasingly drawing in soldiers from abroad as the number of casualties rises and the Kremlin tries to avoid full mobilization. They include mercenaries from Nepal and India, along with about 12,000 North Korean regular army soldiers.
Example of a contract signed by the Yemeni mercenaries. Photo credits: Financial Times.
The recruitment in Yemen also underscores how Russia is getting closer to Iran and its allied militant groups in the Middle East.
US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking confirmed that Russia is actively contacting the Houthis and discussing arms supplies with them but refused to specify what exactly. "We know that there are Russian personnel in Sanaa who are helping to deepen this dialogue. The types of weapons that are being discussed are of great concern and would allow the Houthis to better attack ships in the Red Sea and possibly beyond," he said.
Houthis in Yemen.
Photo from open sources.
Maged Al-Madhaji, head of the Sana'a Center for Strategic Studies, a think tank that focuses on Yemen, shared that Russia is also interested in any group in the Red Sea or the Middle East that is hostile to the United States. He mentioned that mercenaries organized by the Houthis are part of an effort to establish ties with Russia. The newspaper writes that recruitment by the Houthis seems to have started in July.
Mercenaries from Yemen in Ukraine
One mercenary named Nabil, who spoke to the FT, said he was part of a group of about 200 Yemenis.
He said they were lured to Russia by deception and signed contracts for service that they could not read. Nabil, who asked not to be identified by his real name, says he was lured by the promise of lucrative jobs in fields such as "security" and "engineering," hoping to earn enough money to complete his studies.
Illustrative photo of Yemeni Houthis. Photo credits: AP.
Another message sent a few days later said they had no winter clothes.
Abdullah, another Yemeni who asked that his real name not be published, shared that he was promised a bonus of £10,000 and £2,000 a month, as well as possible Russian citizenship, for working in Russia to produce drones.
According to Abdullah, many of the first group of arrivals died in Ukraine because they were brought to the war by "fraudsters who trafficked people."