At least 3,589 people from over 40 countries have been killed while fighting on Russia's side since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, according to a BBC investigation conducted with independent outlet Mediazona. The dead include North Korean soldiers deployed under a formal military agreement with Moscow, prisoners recruited from Russian jails, and economic migrants from countries such as Uganda, Cuba, Nepal and India — some of whom say they were deceived into combat roles after being promised security or construction work. NATO estimates around 24,000 foreign mercenaries from 44 countries are currently serving with Russian forces, with the majority believed to come from African nations, as Moscow continues recruiting abroad amid persistent manpower shortages — though foreigners still account for less than 2% of the roughly 233,000 Russian-side deaths BBC has verified.