Kyiv – Ukraine has accused Russia of actively recruiting soldiers from across Africa, with approximately 1,700 citizens from various African nations, including 272 from Ghana, currently fighting alongside Russian forces. The claim, made public following a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on Wednesday, highlights a widening scope to Russia’s recruitment efforts beyond its borders.
According to a statement released by Zelenskyy’s office, these recruits are not acting under the mandate of their governments. Ablakwa stated that the Ghanaians who traveled to Russia were victims of criminal networks promising “decent work,” only to be deceived and sent to the front lines with no prior military training.
“They have no background in security, no military background. They were simply lured, then deceived, and sent to the front lines of the battlefield,” Ablakwa said.
The revelation comes as several African nations, including Kenya and Uganda, have begun to uncover the fate of their citizens who joined the Russian military, often resulting in death or capture. Reports from the Kyiv Post and Ukrinform detail accounts from prisoners of war from Kenya, Togo, Cameroon, and Nigeria held in Ukrainian prisons late last year.
Returned Kenyan citizens interviewed by the Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported encountering dozens of Africans – from Nigeria, Cameroon, Egypt, and South Africa – in Russian training camps and on the front lines. These individuals similarly described being lured with promises of well-paying civilian jobs before being forcibly conscripted and deployed to Ukraine.
While estimates vary, officials indicate nearly 20,000 foreign fighters are involved in the invasion of Ukraine. Beyond recruits from former Soviet republics and Central Asia, Russia is actively seeking soldiers from Africa, Latin America, and other parts of Asia, according to Ukrainian officials.
The situation raises concerns about the exploitation of vulnerable populations and the potential for further escalation of the conflict. The Ukrainian government continues to call on international partners to address Russia’s recruitment practices and protect potential victims of human trafficking.
