New information has emerged regarding migrants working in Russia, including citizens of Azerbaijan, being forcibly sent to the ongoing war with Ukraine.
Modern.az reports that recently 20 Azerbaijani citizens have been involved in the war with Ukraine.
The information states that one of the Azerbaijanis who went to Russia 3-4 years ago to work in the construction sector has been involved in the construction of various facilities in the Donetsk region, outside the war zone, in recent years.
On December 13, 2025, he wrote to his brother living in Azerbaijan that approximately 250 construction workers were forcibly put on buses and taken to military unit No. 11097 – the 362nd regiment – located in the Voronezh region.
Their deployment to Ukraine – to the front line – is planned.
Approximately a thousand migrants worked in construction in total. Among them were citizens of Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
The number of workers from Azerbaijan is approximately 20.
The area where they worked was a completely closed zone, with no free entry or exit. Even when going to work, they had to pass through 3-4 military checkpoints.
According to the information, the workers initially engaged in the construction of residential buildings and facilities. Later, they were taken in groups to an unknown destination.
In the first stage, half of the workers were taken, and then the rest. However, they were not told where they were being taken.
It was later clarified that they were first taken to Voronezh, and after being held there for 1-2 days, all of them were transferred to a military unit in the Rostov region. No one was asked whether they wanted to go to war. They also did not sign any documents related to military service.
Nevertheless, military uniforms have already been distributed to them, and their military training has commenced.
Currently, there are approximately 20 Azerbaijanis in that group, who are being prepared for the war with Ukraine, effectively as hostages.
The information states that these Azerbaijanis are very rarely allowed to contact their families by phone.
It is also emphasized that their relatives have already appealed to the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Russia and other relevant authorities regarding this issue.
It should be noted that Russia's involvement of migrants in the war in Ukraine through various means is not new information. Moscow sends migrants to the combat zone using various enticing methods, deception, threats, and so on.
In some cases, citizens of various countries are sent to the front line without any military training or instruction. Reports of Azerbaijani citizens involved in battles in the Russia-Ukraine war being killed or going missing are frequently encountered. Russia's involvement of migrants who have come to the country for work or other purposes in the war with Ukraine is unacceptable by any standard. By exploiting the difficult situation of migrants and sending them directly to their deaths, Russia once again demonstrates its disregard for human rights and migration laws. (Source: APA)
