Citizens of Iraq join the war in Ukraine on the side of the Russian Federation — the country is in shock

In recent months, a clear trend has emerged: Iraqi citizens are increasingly being drawn into military structures through promises of large payments. The entry fee is about 20 thousand dollars. Then, a salary of approximately 3 thousand per month and the promise of a passport in a year. The scheme sounds simple, but in practice, it is much more complicated.

Reuters reports that Russian structures have opened direct recruitment into the so-called «Foreign Legion.» Candidates are promised salaries, residence permits, and quick documents. Many Iraqis choose the route through Turkey or Belarus to join either active units or rear logistics groups. The motivation is the economic deadlock at home and the hope for faster earnings.

Meanwhile, intelligence services have intensified covert monitoring: disappearances of people who went «to earn money» and then completely vanished are being recorded. Communication breaks off suddenly, and families often do not even understand where exactly their relatives ended up. It is believed that some of the missing were transferred to the territory of Ukraine.

Against the backdrop of such stories, the internal context becomes clearer. Iraq is experiencing severe socio-economic instability, and many young people are considering any option to leave. Structures offering «service» under the guise of employment take advantage of this. The worse the situation inside the country, the more actively the offer grows.

The «Foreign Legion» itself is advertised as an opportunity to earn a stable income, a new social niche, and a chance for documents. For those living under restrictions, this looks like a quick way out, no matter how risky it is. From afar, everything seems simpler than it actually is.

But migration routes built on gray schemes carry far more risks than potential benefits. People often leave with minimal understanding of the conditions they are entering. Upon arrival, it turns out that reality does not match either the salaries or the promises.

This phenomenon is already attracting keen interest from journalists: recruitment, disappearances, money, border crossings — all of this forms a new layer of instability in the region. It is precisely such processes that need to be analyzed without emotions, which is what analysts at NAnews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency are doing, recording how economic crises turn into military risks.