Ukraine has accused Russia of recruiting more than 1,400 African nationals from 36 countries to fight in its ongoing war, describing the move as a “dangerous deception” targeting vulnerable job seekers.
According to Kyiv officials, many of the foreign fighters are reportedly lured with promises of employment, education opportunities, or fast-tracked citizenship, only to discover that they are being sent directly into combat. Ukrainian authorities say the contracts signed by these recruits are “equivalent to a death sentence,” claiming that most are deployed into high-risk frontlines with little training.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said investigations indicate that the real number of African recruits may be higher than the 1,436 currently confirmed. He warned that Russia’s alleged use of misleading recruitment drives is a violation of international law and urged African governments to alert their citizens.
“We call on all African nations to protect their young people from falling victim to these dangerous schemes,” Sybiha stated. “Many of these recruits are being sent straight into what our military calls ‘meat assaults’—missions with extremely low chances of survival.”
Reports suggest that some recruits were offered financial incentives or residency in exchange for military service. Ukraine claims that once they arrive in Russian-controlled territories, most foreigners lose communication with their families and are forced into the army.
Several African governments have already launched investigations. South Africa is probing how 17 of its citizens joined Russian mercenary groups, while Kenyan officials say some of their nationals were detained in Russian camps after being misled by fake employment offers.
Human rights observers have also raised concerns that foreign volunteers may not understand the full risks of fighting in the conflict, or that they may be coerced once inside Russia.
Ukraine says it plans to release more detailed information about the countries involved and share evidence with African governments to prevent further recruitment. The country has also urged international organizations to monitor and document these cases as part of broader efforts to expose what it calls “Russia’s exploitation of foreign lives for military gain.”
