Dmytro Usov, the secretary of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, stated this during the Crimea Global international conference.According to Usov, Russia has established an extensive global recruitment network since 2023 to compensate for its army's significant losses. As a result, the number of contracts signed by foreigners with the Russian Armed Forces grew monthly, first into the hundreds and later into the thousands.The primary motivation for most of these mercenaries is financial gain. However, many individuals have also joined the Russian army through deception or coercion.Through the coordinated efforts of the Coordination Headquarters, the Main Intelligence Directorate, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and members of parliament, Ukraine has recently managed to significantly slow the pace of international recruitment by the Russian Federation."In 2023–2024, nearly 1,000 citizens of Nepal signed a contract with the Russian army. In 2025, as of October 1, only one person from that country has joined the Russian military," Usov explained.He also stressed that the Russian Federation is not interested in exchanging foreign prisoners for Ukrainian ones."Russia has not yet requested the exchange of any foreign citizens, with the exception of North Korean citizens. At the same time, the Coordination Headquarters is working to do everything necessary to fulfill the directive of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy—to return all of our military and civilians from Russian prisons and torture sites as quickly as possible," Usov concluded.Ukraine's 63rd Separate Mechanized Brigade captured a 22-year-old Indian national. A foreigner was studying in Russia but got caught with drugs. To avoid going to prison, he went to the war. But during the first assault, he surrendered.