Иллюстрация с сайта сила-родины.рф
Recruiters seeking Belarusian citizens to participate in the war against Ukraine have become more active in Belarusian job and side-work online communities, Reform.news readers told the outlet. A one-time payment starting from 2.7 million Russian rubles (about $35,000) is promised for signing a contract.
The advertisements claim that this is an official state contract with the Russian Defense Ministry. Such a contract allegedly does not constitute mercenarism under Belarusian law.
The ads have appeared in online communities in Brest, Minsk, and other Belarusian cities.
“We provide more than 30 specialties with training. A one-time payment starting from 2,700,000 rubles after signing the contract and a monthly salary starting from 210,000 rubles. Paid training for every specialty. Cancellation of loans and criminal records. We provide housing and three meals a day. We arrange and pay for transportation ourselves. Vacation after six months of service,” a typical advertisement states.
The contact information includes a Belarusian phone number and a Telegram account under the name Mikhail.
A Reform.news journalist contacted “Mikhail” on a weekend, and the response came within just a few minutes.
The journalist asked whether a medical examination was required and whether the recruiter was concerned that the person making the inquiry had no military specialty.
“Our nearest recruitment center is located in Moscow. We arrange and pay for all transportation ourselves. Upon arrival, you are met by a person who helps you complete all the necessary documents, after which you undergo a medical examination. After passing the medical examination, we sign a contract with you. You will be able to choose your specialty on site. We have more than 30 specialties, all with training,” “Mikhail” replied.
The journalist also asked whether there was any guarantee that the applicant would not be sent to an assault unit and whether relatives could receive money on behalf of the mercenary.
“We assign you to the specialty you are interested in. You receive the money on a payroll card that you arrange for yourself before signing the contract,” the recruiter assured.
To prove he was not a scammer, “Mikhail” suggested obtaining all information from the “official” website of the organization — “Сила-родины.рф.”
Reform.news examined the website.
According to WHOIS data, the cyrillic domain was registered on April 4, 2025. Web archive records contain no evidence that the domain existed before that date. The owner’s data is hidden — the domain is registered through REGRU-RF by a private individual.
The website is hosted on a virtual server in Moscow and was built using Tilda.
The site contains an “about the organization” section, but it is empty. Meanwhile, the site footer states that the project belongs to Center Podbora Kadrov LLC. A company by that name was indeed registered in Moscow in 2014. It was founded by Semiya Zinnurovna Nasibulina. The company existed until 2016 and was liquidated. Thus, сила-родины.рф provides false information.
The website contains sections for all Russian regions. There is also a separate section for migrants. Special subsections exist for Abkhazia, Armenia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
Potential mercenaries from Belarus are offered an additional 300,000 Russian rubles as a one-time payment, as well as Russian citizenship within two weeks for both the mercenary and their family.
“Citizens of Belarus are provided with a unique opportunity to sign a contract for the special military operation and become part of an important historic mission. Belarusians with military training or wishing to gain valuable professional experience can pass selection and join the fulfillment of special tasks. Participation opens prospects for career growth, stable income, and social guarantees,” the appeal says, illustrated with an AI-generated image of “typical” Belarusians in military uniform.
It is claimed that the “Force of the Motherland” organization “assists foreign citizens, including natives of Belarus, in obtaining the documents necessary for military service. The contract provides the right to legal residence and opens new prospects.”
The advertising text also states that “Belarus has traditionally been known for disciplined and reliable military specialists.”
Article 132. Recruitment, Training, Financing, and Use of Mercenaries
Recruitment, training, financing, other material support, and use of mercenaries for participation in armed conflicts or military actions —
shall be punishable by imprisonment for a term of seven to fifteen years.
Article 133. Mercenarism
Participation on the territory of a foreign state in armed conflicts or military actions by a person who is not part of the armed forces of the warring parties and acts for the purpose of receiving material remuneration without authorization from the state of which the person is a citizen or on whose territory the person permanently resides (mercenarism) —
shall be punishable by imprisonment for a term of three to seven years with or without a fine.