Predatory Recruitment: Beyond the Mercenary Paradigm
- Sponsor
- Slavic Department, College of Law, Center for Global Studies, and REEEC
- Speaker
- Dmytro Koval, Legal Scholar, National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy
- Views
- 50
- Originating Calendar
- Russian, E. European & Eurasian Center: Co-sponsored Events
Predatory Recruitment: Beyond the Mercenary Paradigm
Russia’s recruitment of foreign nationals for its war against Ukraine has developed into a global phenomenon, reaching from Central and South Asia to Africa and Latin America. While these foreign fighters are often described as mercenaries, many fall outside the narrow legal definition of mercenarism, raising difficult questions about how international law should conceptualize their participation in hostilities. Drawing on recent reports published by Truth Hounds and partners, this talk will examine the legal complexities of predatory recruitment, including practices involving deception, coercion and human trafficking, and consider the broader consequences of Russia’s transnational recruitment system for international security.