In August 2023, a notorious Bosnian Serb mercenary appeared on a Russian propaganda program, calling for fighters to join the Kremlin’s full-scale war against Ukraine, which had been ongoing for 18 months at the time.
“I want to invite both Russians and Serbs,” said Davor Savićiq in that interview. At the time, he was associated with the now-defunct Wagner Group, a paramilitary organization that fought in Syria and Ukraine, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).
“The unit is operating and will continue to operate,” he added.
Previously, Savićiq was cautious when speaking to journalists about his activities in Russia, claiming he was just a construction worker living outside Moscow. However, during his interview on the Kremlin-backed Solovyov Live program, he admitted that his volunteer unit was signing a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Yet, a leaked database from a Russian Defense Ministry hospital—obtained by RFE/RL—reveals that Savićiq’s connections to the Russian military go far beyond that of a mere construction worker or volunteer recruiter. He is officially listed as a colonel of Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU.
Savićiq, who was sanctioned by the United Kingdom in November for “destabilizing Ukraine,” is among hundreds of foreign fighters identified in the leaked database.
The database contains over 165,000 individual records, shedding light on Russia’s casualties since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago. While an exact count of foreign nationals serving in the Russian armed forces is unavailable, Western estimates place the total number of Russian casualties—killed and wounded—at around 700,000.
The leaked data also provides substantial evidence of Russia’s reliance on foreign mercenaries. Some fighters reportedly joined for financial incentives, while others were coerced or deceived.
An RFE/RL analysis of hospital admission records shows that foreign soldiers from dozens of countries, including Serbia, Nepal, India, China, Sri Lanka, Cuba, and Cameroon, received treatment in Russian military hospitals between February 2022—when President Vladimir Putin launched the full-scale invasion—and mid-June 2024.
The revelations further expose Russia’s extensive use of mercenaries and the role of foreign fighters in its ongoing war against Ukraine.
