‘Money and Citizenship’Much of what we know about Russia’s foreign fighters has been gleaned from interviews with those who surrendered to Ukrainian forces on the battlefield. ‘Prisoners on the Front Line’Although media reports sometimes refer to Russia’s foreign fighters as “mercenaries,” many third-country recruits are not professional soldiers. Ukrainian officials also maintain that the Russian army uses foreign fighters as cannon fodder. Whether they’re still on the front line or being held by Ukraine, foreign fighters on the Russian side have struggled to return to their home countries. Meanwhile, Russia’s recruitment drive continues to draw in more foreign fighters.