Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, more than 5,000 Iraqi citizens have ended up on the front lines on both sides, attracted by promises of income and opportunities to move to Europe, reports Shafaq News.
The Iraqi embassy in Moscow issued a warning, urging citizens not to fall for “attempts to involve them in combat” and reaffirmed Baghdad’s official neutrality in the conflict. The diplomatic mission emphasized that legal visas are issued only through Russian offices in Baghdad, Erbil, and Basra, and that any other offers are fraudulent.
Despite the risks, thousands of Iraqis are already fighting on both sides of the front. In the Russian army, according to Haider al-Shammari, head of the Iraqi community in Russia, around 2,000 people serve under contracts, earning about $3,000 per month. Some Iraqis in Russian units have requested to be sent back home, claiming they were deceived, but their appeals reportedly go unanswered, al-Shammari says.
On the Ukrainian side, it is estimated that over 3,000 Iraqis have joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine as contract soldiers. Many are recruited by smugglers promising transit through Turkey or Greece. They are offered salaries of $2,000 to $2,500, but many never reach Ukraine, getting stuck in border areas. Iraqis often find themselves abandoned along smuggling routes, trying to enter Russia or Ukraine via Turkey, Belarus, or the Balkans. Many become stranded in forests, facing hunger, cold, and even death. Families often have no idea where their sons are, and many disappear without a trace.
Unemployment in Iraq remains high, especially among university graduates, while the economy stagnates, making migration appear as the only option for thousands of young people. Recruiters exploit this by promising a “safe route” or work abroad.
“Iraqi youth are leaving not for war, but for money,” said one source to Shafaq News. “But once abroad, they find themselves trapped: war becomes the only way to survive.”
