{
  "id": 1483690,
  "title": "Russia brands foreign mercenaries with numbers – Ukraine intel",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/russia-brands-foreign-mercenaries-with-numbers-ukraine-intel",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-17T12:43:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Voice of Ukraine",
    "slug": "new-voice-of-ukraine",
    "url": "https://english.nv.ua/nation/how-and-why-russia-marks-foreign-mercenaries-with-serial-numbers-ukrainian-intel-releases-photos-50633344.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Russia brands foreign mercenaries serving in its army to tighten control and strip them of their identity. These \"inventory numbers\" are applied to equipment or directly to the skin, Ukraine's Defense Intelligence (HUR) reported on Aug. 17, publishing accompanying photos.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Euromaidan Press",
        "title": "Nearly 500 Africans recruited into Russia’s army have died, Ukraine says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/nearly-500-africans-recruited-into-russias-army-have-died-ukraine-says",
        "published": "2026-08-17T12:16:30.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CBS News",
        "title": "Ukraine's recently fired defense minister describes the \"technological war\" with Russia",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/ukraines-recently-fired-defense-minister-describes-the-technological",
        "published": "2026-08-17T14:28:19.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}