Peruvian families plead for help repatriating relatives recruited by Russia

Families of Peruvians recruited by Russia to fight in Ukraine are desperately seeking answers and repatriation assistance. Protesters gathered again outside Peru's Foreign Ministry, demanding information about their relatives who have disappeared or are unaccounted for.

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they have entered hell

Lawyers representing the families stated that Peruvians were deceived with contracts for non-combat roles such as mechanics, drivers, cooks, or security personnel. Once in Russia, they were allegedly forced into front-line combat, with some ending up in military hospitals. One relative shared her distress over her husband, who left for Russia on March 12th for a security job to support their family, but has been unreachable since May 9th after being forced to sign a new contract and having his passport confiscated.

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he left for Russia on March 12 with a six-month contract to work as security personnel for schools, embassies or companies, as he did in Lima, and he decided to go because his family is going through a delicate moment, as they have an autistic child who requires special therapies.

The legal team estimates that around 1,200 Peruvians have been recruited since the war began, with only 25 successfully returning. Some Peruvians have reportedly fled their homes within Peru to avoid recruiters and are receiving psychiatric treatment for war trauma. Peru's specialized human trafficking prosecutor's office has begun gathering information from families, but concerns remain that a change in government on July 28th could delay progress.

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they assaulted him, took his passport and everything he was carrying, until they finally forced him to sign the contract and, although they could communicate at first, she has not heard from him since May 9.