Peruvian sent to remand prison for recruiting compatriots to fight in Russia
A Peruvian court ordered 14 months of remand imprisonment against Pocho Pinto, accused of human trafficking for sending Peruvians to the Russian battle front.
Remand imprisonment for recruiting Peruvians for war in Ukraine
A Peruvian court ordered on Saturday 14 months of remand imprisonment against Pocho Pinto, aged 54, whilst an investigation into him proceeds on charges of human trafficking for purposes of labour exploitation. According to El Deber, Peru's Public Ministry announced the measure in an official statement.
The Prosecution maintains that Pinto coordinated, financed and facilitated the international transfer of Julio Salazar and three other victims to Russia in March 2026, under the promise of employment as security personnel at a military base with salaries of 2,300 US dollars per month. Salazar died on the battle front in April; the other three Peruvians survived.
In April, the Russian embassy in Peru acknowledged in a statement that Peruvian citizens had signed contracts to provide military service in the Russian armed forces, and argued that these were voluntary decisions protected by their legislation.
The case forms part of a broader pattern documented in the region. A report by Amnesty International published in September indicates that Russia has deceived thousands of people from low-income countries into recruitment, including citizens of Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Sri Lanka and South Africa.
The public prosecutors' offices of Peru and Bolivia are maintaining open investigations into these schemes in their respective countries. Colombia's Foreign Ministry, for its part, affirms that it has received more than 800 reports of citizens in similar situations. In July, the Russian embassy in Bogotá denied any link with recruitment networks, after the news programme Noticias Caracol broadcast testimonies and documents from Colombians who reported having been sent to the battle front.
Source: El Deber