Russia is trying to recruit troops from neighbouring countries in an attempt to replace those injured or killed on the front line in Ukraine, according to UK officials.
Online adverts offering thousands of pounds to those who sign up to fight have been published in Armenia and Kazakhstan.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said there had also been “recruitment efforts” among the ethnic Russian population in Kazakhstan’s northern Qostanai region.
That is in addition to attempts to persuade central Asian migrants to fight for Russia in Ukraine by offering them fast-track citizenship and salaries of up to £3,300.
“There are at least six million migrants from central Asia in Russia, which the Kremlin likely sees as potential recruits,” the MoD said in its latest update posted on X, formerly Twitter.
“Russia likely wishes to avoid further unpopular domestic mobilisation measures in the run up to the 2024 Presidential elections.
“Exploiting foreign nationals allows the Kremlin to acquire additional personnel for its war effort in the face of mounting casualties.”
It emerged last week that thousands of Russian troops are being prosecuted for refusing to return to fight in Ukraine amid plummeting morale.
Nearly 100 Russian soldiers a week after being convicted for refusing to go into battle as the war drags on.
“If this trend continues, there will be approximately 5,200 convictions a year for refusing to fight,” the MoD said.
Russia is also failing to hit its army recruitment targets despite a massive rise in forces’ pay.
The country is estimated to have suffered more than 200,000 casualties so far in the Ukraine war.
The MoD revealed last month that up to half of Russian fatalities in the war could also have been prevented “with proper first aid”, while crude battlefield medical treatment is causing a huge number of preventable fatalities and amputations.
Meanwhile, at least half of the elite 30,000 Russian paratroopers deployed to Ukraine have probably been killed or wounded.