{
  "id": 7524373,
  "title": "Russia Has Recruited Over 28,000 Foreign Mercenaries For The War — HUR Chief",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/russia-has-recruited-over-28-000-foreign-mercenaries-for-the-war-hur",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-15T08:33:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "UATV English",
    "slug": "uatv-english",
    "url": "https://uatv.ua/en/russia-has-recruited-over-28-000-foreign-mercenaries-for-the-war-hur-chief/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ukraine's military intelligence estimates that Russia has enlisted over 28,000 foreign mercenaries in its ongoing war against Ukraine. Lieutenant General Oleh Ivashchenko, head of the HUR, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense, stated this in an interview with The Times and UATV English. Ivashchenko emphasized that Ukraine is actively working to thwart Russia's efforts to recruit criminals abroad. He mentioned that they are sharing information with relevant security and intelligence services, and conducting non-kinetic operations to inform the populations of potential recruitment countries.\n\nAdding to the aggression, Russia is reportedly strengthening military ties with North Korea. Military intelligence suggests that around 8,000 North Korean troops are currently stationed in Russia's Kursk region, with numbers potentially reaching 50,000. Ivashchenko noted that Russia possesses the military and economic resources to sustain the war against Ukraine in 2027, but these resources will diminish by 2028.",
  "summary": "Russia is trying to make up for the occupiers' battlefield losses through the systematic recruitment of foreign mercenaries. According to estimates by Ukrainian military intelligence, the aggressor state has already recruited more than 28,000 foreigners for its criminal war. Lieutenant General Oleh Ivashchenko, head of the HUR of Ukraine's Ministry of Defense, reported this in an interview with…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "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."
}