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How Yemen’s Houthis Joined the Russian-Ukrainian War
The recent revelation by the Financial Times about Yemen’s Houthi militia recruiting fighters for Russia’s war in Ukraine marks a significant escalation in the conflict’s international dimension, highlighting both Russia’s desperate search for military personnel and the increasingly complex web of global alliances shaping the war.
According to detailed reports, a sophisticated recruitment operation, orchestrated through a company established by a prominent Houthi politician, has been actively recruiting Yemeni men since July 2024. The operation presents itself as a legitimate employment opportunity, promising potential recruits attractive benefits including steady salaries and Russian citizenship. However, the reality that awaits these men upon arrival in Russia stands in stark contrast to these promises. Instead of the promised civilian employment, they find themselves forcibly conscripted into the Russian military and deployed to the frontlines in Ukraine.
This recruitment scheme represents a new dimension in Russia’s increasingly desperate attempts to maintain its military capabilities in Ukraine. The deceptive nature of the recruitment process, essentially amounting to human trafficking, raises serious humanitarian concerns and highlights the lengths to which Russia is willing to go to sustain its military operations.
