A young Syrian man has described how he was lured into Russia’s war in Ukraine by a recruiter who later burned his passport after he refused to pay to stay out of combat.
Omar, 26, says he was recruited by Polina Alexandrovna Azarnykh, a Russian woman who runs a Telegram channel offering foreign men contracts with the Russian military. Speaking to the BBC under a false name for his safety, Omar said he was promised safe, well-paid work and even Russian citizenship, but instead found himself fighting on the front line with minimal training.
In a video sent to Omar, flames can be seen consuming his Syrian passport while a woman’s voice in Russian says, “It’s burning well.” Omar says the voice belongs to Azarnykh, who became angry after he refused to pay her $3,000, money she had allegedly demanded to keep him in a non-combat role.
Omar had been stranded in Moscow in March 2024 after a scam left him and other Syrians without work. He says they contacted Azarnykh online and she quickly arranged their transfer to a military recruitment centre. There, they were offered one-year contracts, large sign-up bonuses and monthly salaries far higher than anything available in Syria.
According to Omar, the contracts were in Russian, which the men could not read. Their passports were taken away and they were told citizenship would be arranged. Within weeks, however, Omar says he was sent to the battlefield in Ukraine after just 10 days of training.
Voice messages he sent from the front line describe constant shelling, dead bodies lying in the open and a fear that he would not survive. He also says he later discovered that a 2022 Russian decree allows the army to automatically extend contracts until the war ends, meaning he could not leave when his year was up.
A BBC Eye investigation has identified nearly 500 cases in which Azarnykh issued “invitation” documents used by men from countries including Syria, Egypt and Yemen to enter Russia and enlist. Families of at least 12 men say their relatives who were recruited through her are now dead or missing.
Several recruits told the BBC they believed they would be given support roles or be able to leave after a year, but instead were sent into heavy fighting with little preparation. Some said Azarnykh threatened them or their families when they complained.
Azarnykh, a former teacher from Russia’s Voronezh region, denies the accusations. In recent online posts she has said recruits knew they were going to war and warned that “nothing happens for free”. When contacted by the BBC, she rejected claims of deception and threatened legal action.
Russia has been stepping up recruitment as its losses in Ukraine mount. Nato estimates more than one million Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded since the full-scale invasion in 2022, with about 25,000 killed in December 2025 alone. Analysis by BBC News Russian suggests at least 20,000 foreigners may have joined Russia’s forces.
Experts say informal recruiters like Azarnykh are increasingly being used, often with cash incentives, as traditional recruitment channels struggle to meet demand.
Both Omar and another former recruit, Habib, who worked with Azarnykh, say many foreigners arrived expecting guard or support duties but were quickly sent to the front line. Habib alleges she knew the men faced almost certain death.
Omar has since obtained Russian citizenship and managed to return to Syria. Two men from his group were killed, according to their families. He says he feels betrayed by the person who promised him safety and a future.
“She sees us as numbers or money, not as people,” he said. “We will never forgive what she did to us.”
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