British government freezes assets and bans travel of Polina Azarnykh over alleged human trafficking network targeting Nigerians, others

The United Kingdom has sanctioned a Russian national, Polina Azarnykh, for allegedly running a recruitment network that targeted young men from Nigeria and other countries to fight for Russia in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The sanctions, which include an asset freeze, travel ban, and director disqualification order, were announced on 5 May under the Global Irregular Migration and Trafficking in Persons Sanctions Regulations 2025.

According to British authorities, Azarnykh was accused of facilitating the movement of foreign nationals from countries such as Nigeria, Egypt, Iraq, the Ivory Coast, Morocco, Syria, and Yemen into Russia before deploying them to the frontlines in Ukraine. The UK government said her actions were backed by Russian authorities and described the network as a form of human trafficking aimed at destabilising Ukraine through the use of foreign fighters.

A BBC investigation published in January exposed how Azarnykh allegedly used a Telegram channel with over 21,000 subscribers to lure vulnerable individuals from Nigeria and several African and Middle Eastern countries. The investigation revealed that more than 500 invitation letters were reportedly issued by her to foreign nationals, mainly from Syria, Egypt and Yemen. These letters enabled recruits to enter Russia with promises of employment opportunities, Russian citizenship and high salaries—offers that many later discovered were false after they found themselves deployed on the battlefield.

Some recruits told investigators they were not informed they would be sent into combat zones or that withdrawal after signing military contracts was impossible. Several individuals interviewed claimed intimidation tactics were used against those who questioned their deployment—allegations which Azarnykh has denied. One Syrian recruit named Omar described his experience after arriving in Moscow: “We were tricked… this woman is a con artist and a liar,” he said. He recounted being promised $2,500 monthly salary and a $5,000 signing bonus but instead faced grim conditions on the battlefield.

The BBC also spoke with relatives of men reported missing or killed after joining Russia’s military through this network. In one case, an Egyptian man explained how his brother was recruited while studying in Russia due to financial hardship but was unexpectedly sent to fight in Ukraine. Further reports indicated that Azarnykh previously managed a Facebook page offering help to Arab students seeking admission into Russian universities before expanding her activities via Telegram.

Human rights groups estimate that since 2022, Russia has recruited approximately 27,000 foreign nationals from around 130 countries for its war effort against Ukraine—with some allegedly deceived or coerced into service. The UK government stated that these latest sanctions are part of wider efforts to disrupt human trafficking operations linked to conflict zones.

Source: https://www.pulse.ng/story/uk-sanctions-russian-woman-accused-of-recruiting-nigerians-others-to-fight-for-russia-in-ukraine-war-2026061809271516195