LAKSHMIPUR, Bangladesh (AP) — Bangladeshi workers were lured to Russia under the false promise of civilian work and then forced to fight in the Ukraine war, an Associated Press investigation has found.
In interviews with three men who escaped Russia, and the families of three others who are missing, the AP documented a pattern of deception by labor recruiters who enticed workers with promises of lucrative job opportunities, only for them to unknowingly sign contracts for military service.
The returning Bangladeshi men — Maksudur Rahman, Mohan Miajee and Jehangir Alam — recounted harrowing experiences, including being forced to transport supplies to front-line positions, evacuate the wounded and collect dead bodies.
Neither the Russian Defense Ministry nor the South Asian country’s government responded to a list of questions from AP.
Here’s a closer look at AP’s report on how Bangladeshi workers were tricked into fighting in Ukraine.
Labor agents in impoverished communities in Bangladesh approached men to travel to Russia in late 2024, convincing them they could secure jobs, and even obtain residency over time, by working as cooks, cleaners and launderers in Russian army garrisons.
The accounts of the three men, and interviews with the families of those who are still unaccounted for, were substantiated by documents, including visas, military contracts, and army dog tags.
The men who escaped and the families of the missing indicated that the men were lured by promises of lucrative job opportunities conveyed by local recruiters. Many took out loans or sold property to cover the processing fees demanded by the agents, believing they would easily recoup their investment with the salaries they would earn.
The exact number of Bangladeshi men currently fighting in Russia remains unclear. The three men indicated to AP that the figure could be in the hundreds.
A Bangladeshi police investigator told AP that about 40 Bangladeshis may have lost their lives in the war.
Upon their arrival in Russia, the men and the families of the missing reported being coerced into signing military contracts written in Russian, a language they did not understand. They believed this was a standard procedure and expected to proceed with civilian jobs.
Shortly after, the men were taken to an army camp where they were subjected to basic military training, which included drone tactics. Confused and alarmed, they reached out to their families and questioned the local agent about the training. The agent claimed it was a standard requirement for a country at war.
As it became evident that the men would be deployed to the front lines, they voiced objections. One man recounted being told by a Russian commander that he had effectively been sold. Faced with threats of imprisonment, beatings, and even death, the men felt trapped.
They were forced to transport supplies to front-line positions, evacuate the wounded and collect the dead. Some reported being used as human shields in the conflict.
There are also instances of Bangladeshis who voluntarily enlisted in the war but were misled about the perilous roles they would occupy.
One man, who grew disillusioned with his job as an electrician in a gas-processing facility in the remote Far East, willingly signed up for military service after being promised by a recruiter that he would not see combat.
The recruiter had approached him online while he was searching for new employment, claiming that his electrical experience made him an ideal candidate for positions in electronic warfare or drone units. However, upon arriving at a Russian army camp in Ukraine, he was informed that such jobs did not exist.
He soon faced threats, beatings and torture for refusing to comply with the assigned tasks. Ultimately, he was forced to collect dead bodies.
Bangladeshi investigators are probing trafficking networks allegedly operated by local intermediaries with ties to the Russian government that authorities believe are responsible for recruiting Bangladeshi men to fight in the Ukraine war.
The investigation was prompted by a Bangladeshi man’s return from Russia in January 2025. He claimed he was tricked into joining the military. That led authorities to uncover nine more people who reported being trafficked. A key figure in the network, a Bangladeshi national with Russian citizenship who lives in Moscow, was charged.
Little is known about the network responsible for trafficking the men interviewed by AP. But the individuals were sent to Russia through a now-defunct local recruitment agency called SP Global. The company did not respond to AP’s calls and emails. Investigators found it ceased operations in 2025.
Mohammed Siraj, the father of Sajjad, 20, who was killed after being taken to fight in Russia, poses for a portrait at his home in Lakshmipur, Bangladesh, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajib Dhar)
Salma Akdar, 28, who has not heard from her husband Ajgar Hussein, 40, for months, reacts as she sits in Lakshmipur, Bangladesh, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajib Dhar)
Mohammed Siraj holds a photograph of his 20-year-old son, Sajjad, who was killed after being taken to fight in Russia, at his home in Lakshmipur, Bangladesh, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajib Dhar)
Families of the 67 people who died in an aircraft collision last January gathered on Wednesday evening to mark the first anniversary, just one day after investigators testified about years of ignored warnings and near-misses.
Family members and politicians spoke Wednesday throughout the music-filled ceremony honoring the victims who died when an American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided near Reagan National Airport on Jan. 29, 2025, outside of Washington, D.C., marking the deadliest plane crash on U.S. soil since 2001.
“While we were powerless in that moment to help our loved ones, we were not powerless to help each other,” said Doug Lane, husband of Christine Conrad Lane, 49, and father of aspiring figure skater Spencer Lane, 16, who died in the crash. "So that’s what we did, and that’s what we’ve done ever since.”
The audience packed the Daughters of the American Revolution Constitution Hall in Washington.
Everyone aboard the helicopter and jet — flying from Wichita, Kansas — died when the two aircrafts collided and plummeted into the icy Potomac River.
There wasn't one single cause for the crash, according to testimony from National Transportation Safety Board investigators on Tuesday during an hourslong hearing.
The crash was “100% preventable," said board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy.
The memorial included musical performances, including country music stars, the D.C. Fire Department Emerald Society's pipes and drums band, and separately, a performance by a firefighter who was there on the night of the crash. The ceremony also included a montage of portraits, graduation pictures, videos taken on sunny vacations and clips of performances from some of the 28 figure skaters who were killed.
Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins also announced that a memorial plaque would be established on the Potomac River.
First responders who rushed to the crash — many plunging into the freezing river, first in an attempt to save lives, and then later to search for bodies — were honored Wednesday with metals.
“While this has been my family's worst year, the same is true of many of the first responders who responded on the scene. We recognize the toll this has taken on you, and tonight is our opportunity to say thank you,” said Matt Collins, the brother of passenger Chris Collins, 42.
Many of the family members also attended Tuesday's NTSB hearing. Some were escorted out, including two in tears, as they saw an animation recreating some of the final moments of their loved ones’ lives. Others wore black shirts bearing the names of first responder units.
Testimony Tuesday concluded with recommendations from the NTSB to prevent crashes.
Some reforms rely on Congress, the Army and the Trump administration. Chief among them is a bill that would require aircraft to have advanced locator systems to help prevent collisions, which NTSB has recommended for years. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said at the memorial that the bill was close to final passage.
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy applauded the families for their advocacy.
“Obviously you were angry. You couldn't comprehend, how could this happen? Who could let this happen?" Duffy said. “You had choices, and you chose to pay it forward.”
Many families on Wednesday doubled down on the need for reforms.
“Honoring the 67 means more than remembering who they were," said Rachel Feres, the cousin of Peter Livingston, 48, who died along with his wife, Donna Livingston, 48, and their children, Alydia Livingston, 11, and Everly Livingston, 14. "It means allowing their lives and our love for them to shape what we choose to do going forward."
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy speaks at an event honoring the 67 lives lost in the 2025 midair collision near DCA airport, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
D.C. Fire Department Pipes and Drums perform at an event honoring the 67 lives lost in the 2025 midair collision near DCA airport, Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
First responders accept medals at an event honoring the 67 lives lost in the 2025 midair collision near DCA airport, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
Attendees at an event honoring the 67 lives lost in the 2025 midair collision near DCA airport, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
First responders accept medals at an event honoring the 67 lives lost in the 2025 midair collision near DCA airport, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy presides over the NTSB fact-finding hearing on the DCA midair collision accident, at the National Transportation and Safety Board boardroom in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
People attend the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) hearing on the midair aircraft collision that killed 67 people near Washington Reagan National Airport, at the National Transportation and Safety Board boardroom in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
People attend the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) hearing on the midair aircraft collision that killed 67 people near Washington Reagan National Airport, in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
