The story of Moldovan citizen Viktor Tabyrtsa (rus: Табырца Виктор, no patronymic), born on January 11, 1980, is another telling example of russia’s recruitment of migrants to wage its criminal war against Ukraine.

On March 18, 2026, Tabyrtsa was issued an order declaring his stay in russia illegal by security forces in the city of dankov, lipetsk region. Viktor Tabyrtsa’s family — his wife and daughter, born in 2007, both russian citizens — lives in Lipetsk. However, this did not particularly concern the local guards. The Moldovan citizen was fined 5,000 rubles (approximately $59) and informed that he would be deported from russia.

The man was then placed in a local “special detention centre” for migrants, where he was given a choice: deportation or a contract with the russian occupation army. Tabyrtsa chose the latter — and was soon eliminated in the war.

Viktor Tabyrtsa, who was blind in one eye, signed the contract on April 28, 2026, and was immediately sent to a training centre. In the first half of May, the Moldovan was sent to the front in Ukraine. By June, he had been eliminated in Kharkiv region.

According to the “I Want to Live” project, moscow has illegally recruited at least 857 Moldovan citizens for the war against Ukraine. The deaths of 81 of them have been confirmed, while another 8 are in captivity.