A Saturday report in Financial Times has claimed that Russia has recruited hundreds of mercenaries from Yemen to fighting against Ukraine. It comes amid recent Washington allegations that Moscow is increasingly looking abroad to bolster depleting troop ranks.

Some of the Yemeni recruits were cited in the FT report as saying they were initially promised jobs with "high salaries" and eventual Russian citizenship, but after a Houthi-linked company got them to Russia they were "forcibly inducted into the Russian army and sent to the front lines in Ukraine."

Via Associated Press

The FT characterized it as a "shadowy trafficking operation" which is an extension of illicit arms dealing between Russia and Yemen, something which has been alleged by Western sources for months now.

On Moscow's developing closer relations with the Iran-backed Houthis, who are currently waging a war against Israel and international shipping in the Red Sea, US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking told FT that Russia is "actively pursuing contacts."

He alleged that Russian personnel have been in the capital of Sana'a facilitating this dialogue. "The kinds of weapons being discussed are very alarming and would enable the Houthis to better target ships in the Red Sea and potentially beyond," Lenderking said to FT.

The FT says it has proof, having published a purported contracted between the Russian armed forces and a Yemeni recruit:

Contracts signed by the Yemenis, seen by the FT, listed a company founded by Abdulwali Abdo Hassan al-Jabri, a prominent Houthi politician. Registered in Salalah, Oman, the Al Jabri company’s registration documents identify it as a tour operator and retail supplier of medical equipment and pharmaceuticals.

The recruitment of Yemeni soldiers appears to have begun as early as July. One enlistment contract seen by the FT was dated July 3, and was countersigned by the head of a selection center for contract soldiers in the city of Nizhnii Novgorod.

The report further says this highlights Russia's serious manpower needs, also at a time that the presence of some 10,000 North Korean troops has been prominent in headlines.

Russia has apparently recruited people from India, Nepal, and some other countries. FT suggests that luring mercenaries from these places, and countries like Yemen, is somewhat easy as they are impoverished and so men will jump at the contracts.