The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine stated on Sunday (August 16) that the Russian armed forces have recruited about 3,000 citizens from African countries to join the fighting in Ukraine, with the majority being recruited through deceptive means.
According to the Ukrainian public broadcaster “Suspilne,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine confirmed that 2,982 citizens from 37 African countries have been recruited by the Russian military and sent to the Russian-Ukrainian battlefield.
The African countries with the highest number of recruits include Kenya, Egypt, Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Algeria, and Mali.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry indicated that 486 individuals have been confirmed dead. Currently, the Ukrainian military is still detaining 35 prisoners of war from 17 African countries.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry stated that in order to recruit African citizens, the Russian intelligence agencies employed a series of coercion and deception tactics, including offering civilian work or study opportunities, promising high rewards, Russian citizenship, and other immigration and social welfare benefits.
Many victims were forced to sign military contracts in Russian without fully understanding the content, and if they refused to sign, they were threatened with deportation or imprisonment.
Lyubov Abravitova, Director of the African and African Regional Organization Department at the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, previously stated in an interview with Ukrinform, as of May this year, at least 2,965 citizens from 36 African countries were currently or had previously joined the Russian military in fighting in Ukraine. This number has now risen to 2,982 individuals from 37 countries.
The non-profit organization Inpact, managing the “All Eyes On Wagner” project, disclosed in February that they had learned at least 316 Africans participated in a Russian military operation.
In July, the international relations department of Botswana also reported an increasing number of its citizens being lured to join the Russian military’s operations in Ukraine.
To combat the deceptive recruitment activities of the Russian side in Africa, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, along with the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, has established a dedicated website providing information in English, French, and Swahili.
The website contains verified information on Russian recruitment methods, victim testimonials, analytical data, as well as practical advice and reporting channels for potential victims and their families.
The diplomatic missions of Ukraine in African countries regularly inform local officials about Russian recruitment activities and conduct awareness campaigns in countries where diplomatic representative offices are established to warn the public about the risks of being deceived by the Russian side.