The Documentary Podcast - Putin's foreign fighters

*** This programme contains very strong language ***
Over the past year, BBC Eye has followed the journeys of young men from Syria, Egypt, and Yemen who travelled to Russia in search of work, only to end up on the frontlines in Ukraine. Why are these men risking their lives in a war that is not theirs?

Many, including students, say they were tricked into fighting for the Russian army by a recruiter.

BBC Eye investigates their stories, meeting a family grieving the loss of their son and a young Yemeni man now trapped in a prisoner-of-war camp.

Watch the film Into the Void Putin's Foreign Fighters on YouTube: https://youtu.be/y7ruSvJfn_g

Published on Tuesday, 13th January 2026.

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