Russia's foreign conscripts: A new, unlikely wave of celebrity soldiers

Sunday, July 28, 2024, marks the 886th day of the war in Ukraine. According to statistics provided by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, since February 24, 2022, 574,690 Russian soldiers have already died in the war.

Russians are incurring significant losses in this war. Consequently, they are trying various methods to replenish their frontline personnel. General and covert mobilization, amnesty for the convicted—these are just some examples. Anton Herashchenko recalls the words of a Russian politician and points out that Steven Seagal and Gérard Depardieu also have Russian passports.

— Head of Russian investigative committee Bastrykin suggests sending foreigners to war who received Russian citizenship, "as a priority. Just illustrative photos of some new Russian citizens — reports Anton Herashchenko on platform X.

Herashchenko also posted a photograph of a third man—Jeff Monson. He is an American athlete who accepted Russian citizenship. Herashchenko's post quickly filled with comments. Netizens also place Edward Snowden alongside Depardieu, Seagal, and Monson.

— We have already caught more than 30,000 [migrants] who received citizenship and did not want to register for the military, put them on the register, and already sent about 10,000 to the zone of a special military operation — said Bastrykin during the International Legal Forum in St. Petersburg.

Russia needs actors, athletes, and other "stars" for propaganda efforts. The chances that 75-year-old Depardieu or the three-year-old Seagal will be called up are illusory.