Russia embassy says Peru recruits knew war risks despite deception claims

Russia's embassy in Peru stated Sunday that Peruvian citizens who signed contracts with Russia's Defense Ministry to participate in the military operation against Ukraine were aware of the conditions and risks involved, according to an official statement.

The embassy said it proceeded from the premise that those who signed the documents had knowledge of their provisions, as well as the rights and obligations established in the contracts. The statement came as tensions escalated between the two countries over the recruitment of Peruvian nationals.

Peru's Foreign Ministry reported on August 9 that 11 Peruvians have died, 114 are missing, and 3 have been captured by Ukrainian forces among a total of 459 nationals fighting for Russia. The Foreign Ministry subsequently summoned Russia's ambassador to address the situation of deceased and missing Peruvians in the conflict.

The embassy acknowledged in its statement that information circulating in Peru indicated that unidentified individuals had allegedly deceived Peruvian citizens to bring them to Russia, where they were supposedly forced to sign contracts with the Russian Defense Ministry. However, the embassy maintained that those who signed were conscious of the military service conditions and associated risks, as well as their rights and duties under the agreements.

Families of the recruited Peruvians have accused the recruiters of deception, claiming their relatives were offered employment opportunities through social media posts that did not disclose the true nature of the work. According to lawyers Percy Salinas and Marcelo Tataje, who represent a legal team defending an association of families of recruited Peruvians, the actual number of those recruited could exceed 1,000, with more than 100 reported dead. This figure is significantly higher than the official government count, which covers only those enlisted since late 2025.

The recruitment process reportedly began with job postings on social media offering employment opportunities, which allegedly misrepresented the actual positions available to applicants. Families have claimed their relatives were victims of fraud in how they were recruited and transported to Russia.