Russia’s Migration Manipulation: How Putin Weaponizes the Flow of People to the West

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Vladimir Putin has been accused of using migration as a strategic tool in his “hybrid warfare” against the West, effectively turning the movement of people into a political weapon. Experts warn that Russia treats migration like a “tap” that it can turn on and off to pressure European leaders, particularly in relation to their support for Ukraine.  

 

Recent investigations have revealed that one of Putin’s agents, Jan Marsalek, played a key role in influencing migration flows into Europe using private military groups. Evidence suggests that Russia actively fuels migration by physically transporting people toward the European Union’s borders, supporting smuggling networks, and fostering instability and violence in regions such as Syria and parts of Africa. Additionally, Russian operatives are accused of spreading misinformation about migration to sow division and disrupt European unity.  

 

At the end of last year, Finland closed its final border crossing with Russia after witnessing a dramatic surge in undocumented migrants, mainly from the Middle East and Africa. Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen stated that there was no doubt Russia was employing migration as a weapon and, in some cases, directly assisting migrants in reaching the border. Other European nations, including Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, and Norway, have also reported suspiciously coordinated migrant influxes from Russia and its allies.  

 

Frontex, the EU’s border agency, has observed Russia using migration “as a lever in a larger game of influence and pressure.” This tactic is not new but has become increasingly sophisticated, with Russia and its mercenaries tightening their grip on key migration routes in sub-Saharan Africa and Libya, which serve as major transit points for migrants heading to Europe. Russian mercenary groups have established a strong presence in Mali, Burkina Faso, and critical migration hubs such as the Central African Republic, Sudan, and Libya.  

 

Kilian Kleinschmidt, a humanitarian expert, has been warning about the weaponization of migration for years. He recalls discovering in 2019, just before the European elections, that there was a concerted effort to push a new wave of migration from Turkey and Greece toward Northern Europe. “The wrong information was being spread by certain people, who we suspect are Iranian and Russian agent provocateurs,” Kleinschmidt told *The Telegraph*. “They were telling people that Angela Merkel would open the border again.”  

 

According to Kleinschmidt, migration is deliberately manipulated to pressure European politics. “You turn on and turn off the tap as you want, and you put European politics under pressure. Migration has become the main theme for the political Right and populists, who use it as a rallying cry. The Russians clearly use that theme to make Europe nervous and influence elections.”  

 

Kleinschmidt was hired in 2017 for a reconstruction project in Libya, only to later realize that Marsalek’s true aim was to establish border control operations. At the time, Marsalek was the chief operating officer of Wirecard, Germany’s premier tech company. When Wirecard collapsed in 2020, he fled to Moscow and is now one of Europe’s most wanted fugitives.  

 

Unbeknownst to Kleinschmidt, Marsalek had already secretly purchased a Russian private military firm, the RSB Group. His involvement in Libya dates back to 2016 when he facilitated Russian military activity in the country under the pretext of mine-clearing operations for the Libyan Cement Company. These activities took place in territory controlled by General Khalifa Haftar, a warlord with strong Kremlin ties.  

 

Marsalek’s influence extended through his Russian “handler,” Stanislav Petlinsky. Together, they met with high-ranking Libyan military officials to secure permission for Russian mercenaries to operate in the country. Their success paved the way for Wagner Group forces to enter Libya in significant numbers in the following years.  

 

Antonio Tajani, Italy’s deputy prime minister, has indicated that intelligence reports confirm the presence of Russian mercenaries in North Africa collaborating with human traffickers and militias involved in migrant smuggling. This suggests a deliberate effort to create migratory pressure on Europe.  

 

Marsalek’s network did not stop at Libya. Just months after he fled Europe, the RSB Group was linked to a contract providing security services in Sudan, where Wagner mercenaries have also been active.  

 

Dr. Mark Galeotti, an expert on Russian security, explains that control over Libya gives Russia significant leverage over European nations. “Libya is a key migration corridor from Africa to Europe, particularly to Italy,” he told *The Telegraph*. “If the Russians can solidify their grip on Libya through their alliances with local militias and warlords like Haftar, they can dictate migration flows.  

 

“For Mediterranean countries—many of which already have mixed feelings about supporting Ukraine—Russia could use this as a bargaining chip. If they threaten that suddenly 10,000 migrants could arrive on boats overnight, that puts pressure on European leaders. On the other hand, if a country cooperates with Russia, they could keep those migration routes tightly controlled. This provides Moscow with a powerful tool to exert influence over European politics.”  

 

While Russia’s involvement in Libya and migration control is clear, the individuals behind these operations deny wrongdoing. In an interview with *The Telegraph*, Petlinsky admitted that Marsalek had acquired the RSB Group but claimed it was used only once before being put into bankruptcy. He dismissed Western intelligence reports on the group’s activities as “absolute nonsense.”  

 

The RSB Group also issued a statement denying any wrongdoing, claiming that “two scammers, Jan Marsalek and Stas Petlinsky, created a fake company and used our good name.” The company insisted that it has only been involved in lawful humanitarian demining operations and blamed its international sanctions on the fraudulent actions of Marsalek and Petlinsky. However, it did not respond to further questions about its alleged involvement in Libya or Sudan.  

 

The extent to which Russia can manipulate migration remains a pressing concern for European policymakers. As the Kremlin continues to exploit this tactic, experts warn that Western nations must remain vigilant against the use of human displacement as a geopolitical weapon.

 

Based on a report by The Telegraph  2025-03-11