Jordan has called on Russia to stop recruiting the kingdom's citizens in its armed forces after two nationals were killed fighting in the Russian military.
The kingdom's Foreign Ministry said it conveyed the message to Moscow on Friday, as well as to other external actors operating online in efforts to enlist Jordanians into Russia’s ranks.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Fuad Al Majali called on Jordanians “to report any attempts to recruit them into the Russian army”, warning of legal consequences and the risk to their lives.
It is illegal for Jordanians to join the armed forces of a foreign country.
The ministry said it will “take all necessary measures" to stop the recruitment of Jordanians and called on Moscow to terminate the contracts of currently enlisted Jordanians.
It also warned "entities operating through internet networks to recruit Jordanians," and said it is "monitoring these entities in co-ordination with national institutions to take all legal and diplomatic measures to stop them".
The ministry warned that "deceiving Jordanians and recruiting them into a foreign army is a serious violation of international law".
Such conduct is "endangering" Jordanian citizens, it added.
No further information was given about the identity of the two who were killed, or where or when they died.
The exact number of Jordanians who have been recruited by the Russian military remains unknown.
However, it has been reported that hundreds live in Russia and more than 20,000 have studied in the countries of the former Soviet Union.
Russia has recruited many foreigners to fight in its war on Ukraine, which began in 2022.
Early on in the war against Kyiv, when Moscow was propping up former president Bashar Al Assad’s rule in Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he wanted to recruit 16,000 fighters from the Middle East.
About 2,000 regular Syrian troops were later reportedly sent to Russia.
