In the face of the mass and often deceptive enlistment of young Africans into the Russian army for the war in Ukraine, several African capitals are taking action.
Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, and Botswana are leading the charge with diplomatic pressure, alarming official figures, and arrests of individuals, while countries like Nigeria and Zimbabwe are multiplying investigations and warnings. However, the scale of responses remains highly uneven, and many affected countries still prefer to remain silent.
Ghana — Strong
Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa publicly confirmed dozens of deaths: 55 by February 2026, rising to 62 deaths and 15 missing by August 2026.
He visited Kyiv in February 2026 to address prisoners of war.
Launched an investigation in July 2026 to track and dismantle illegal recruitment schemes operating on the dark web.
During an official meeting with Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on August 17, 2026, he demanded an end to the illegal recruitment of Ghanaians. Lavrov said Russia would work with Ghana on the issue.
Level of action: Strong public recognition of figures, high-level bilateral diplomacy, explicit demand for cessation.
Kenya — Strong
An intelligence report presented to Parliament in February 2026 stated that around 1,000 Kenyans had been recruited.
Authorities arrested recruiters and closed 600 agencies linked to the scheme.
Foreign Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi met Lavrov in Moscow in March 2026 and announced an agreement that Kenyans would no longer be eligible for enlistment via Russia's Ministry of Defense. Partial repatriations have been confirmed.
Kenya created 24-hour call centers to help citizens verify job offers abroad.
A Russian national, Mikhail Lyapin, linked to the recruitment network, was questioned and repatriated in September 2025.
Level of action: Strong judicial investigations, diplomatic pressure, a publicly announced bilateral agreement.
South Africa — Strong
Seventeen citizens contacted authorities in distress in November 2025, saying they had been lured under the pretext of bodyguard training.
President Cyril Ramaphosa raised the issue directly with Vladimir Putin by phone on February 10, 2026. The Presidency confirmed the repatriation of most of the 17 men.
The Hawks arrested five people, including radio presenter Nonkululeko Mantula, at OR Tambo Airport between November and December 2025 as they attempted to travel to Russia via the UAE.
Police investigations continue into recruitment activity and possible violations of South African law banning unauthorized mercenary activity.
Level of action: Strong presidential intervention, repatriations, judicial investigations.
Botswana — Strong
The Ministry of International Relations issued public warnings in December 2025 and July 2026 against deceptive job and training offers, confirming that about 22 citizens had been identified as affected.
Authorities intercepted eight individuals attempting to leave the country for Russia.
Level of action: Strong official warnings, preventive interceptions, investigations.
Cameroon — Weak
A diplomatic note from the Ministry of External Relations in April 2026 confirmed, based on a Russian list, the deaths of 16 Cameroonian "military contractors" in the conflict zone. State media broadcast calls to affected families.
No public formal request for the cessation of recruitment, and no explicit condemnation of Russia, has followed.
Level of action: Weak official recognition of deaths and internal control measures, without an offensive diplomatic position.
Nigeria — Medium
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement in February 2026, later reiterated, expressing grave concern over the illegal recruitment of Nigerians into foreign conflicts, describing victims as deceived and forced into signing military contracts.
In northern Nigeria, public reaction to an influencer's post promoting scholarships in Russia showed 56 percent negative responses, 19 percent ambiguous or questioning, and only 25 percent positive or interested a sign the ministry's warnings are resonating.
The ministry has ordered diplomatic missions abroad to strengthen consular vigilance and issue advisories.
Level of action: Medium official warning and expression of concern, without visible high-level bilateral diplomatic action.
Togo — Weak
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed in 2025 that nationals, including students, captured in Ukraine had been lured by false promises of scholarships and study opportunities, and publicly warned young people to verify offers before travelling to Russia.
Civil society, through the Martin Luther King Movement, flagged individual cases as early as 2025 and called on authorities for diplomatic follow-up.
Level of action: Weak official warning and recognition of deception cases.
Zimbabwe — Medium
Information Minister Zhemu Soda said in March 2026 that 15, later revised to at least 18, citizens had been killed, with dozens still on the front line. He described the recruitment scheme, run through agencies and social media, as human trafficking, and pledged public warnings, diplomatic efforts for repatriation, and arrests of recruiters.
In June 2026, authorities arrested Edward Kachingwe, 36, at Harare's bus station while he was accompanying a recruit to South Africa. He was charged with human trafficking and operating an unregistered employment agency after recruiting five people.
Level of action: Medium public recognition of deaths, warnings, judicial and diplomatic action.
Zambia — Weak
Zambia's reaction has been limited and dates back to 2022, when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked Moscow for explanations after the death of Zambian student Lemekhani Nathan Nyirenda, who had been recruited from a Russian prison.
Since then, no new public statements, investigations, or notable warning campaigns have been documented, despite Zambian nationals continuing to appear on more recent recruitment lists.
Level of action: Weak.
Affected Countries Without an Official Position
Independent investigations, including by INPACT and All Eyes on Wagner, alongside Ukrainian estimates, document recruits from roughly thirty African countries, among them Egypt, Algeria, Gambia, Mali, Senegal, and Uganda. For most of these countries, no official statement of condemnation, specific warning, or demand for cessation has been publicly communicated.
It remains an open question whether these governments are fully aware of the scale of recruitment, or simply complicit.
A Quiet Blacklist?
Some positions may also be unofficial.
Countries have reportedly reached discreet agreements with the Kremlin to have their nationals excluded from recruitment drives. Independent media have exposed what appears to be a blacklist of countries where Russia will, in theory, no longer recruit a list that follows either an official, public request or a more discreet one from the country concerned.
Nearly 3,000 Africans are estimated to have been deceptively recruited to fight in Ukraine alongside Russia. Of the 1,417 names on the list compiled by the All Eyes On Wagner investigative collective, the date of death of 316 individuals has already been recorded.
Only a handful of countries have reacted strongly; most of the continent remains silent. For the countries concerned, the urgency to alert and protect their citizens has never been greater.
Mustapha Bature Sallama
Medical/Science communicator, Private Investigator, Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Analysis,United States Institute of Peace (USIP), [email protected] +233555275880
Sources
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, statement https://twitter.com/i/status/2089715695193883081
The Star Kenya, "Over 1,000 Kenyans recruited to Russia-Ukraine war: NIS" https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2026-02-19-over-1000-kenyans-recruited-to-russian-ukraine-war-nis
Le Point, "Plus de 1 400 jeunes Africains ont été recrutés pour combattre en Ukraine depuis 2023" https://www.lepoint.fr/afrique/plus-de-1-400-jeunes-africains-ont-ete-recrutes-pour-combattre-en-ukraine-depuis-2023-W6YIXDTOHNHGBF6YFBY42R5FHM/
BBC News https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cev7rdwmky9o
Government of South Africa, "President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomes return of South African men from Russia" https://www.gov.za/news/media-statements/president-cyril-ramaphosa-welcomes-return-south-african-men-russian
Al Jazeera, "Our children were sold off: The South Africans sent to fight Russia's war" https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2026/3/5/our-children-were-sold-off-the-south-africans-sent-to-fight-russias-war
Business Insider Africa, "Botswana stops citizens from being recruited into the Russian military at airports" https://africa.businessinsider.com/local/markets/botswana-stops-citizens-from-being-recruited-into-the-russian-military-at-airports-in/l81zy2c
Daily Trust, "Russia war: Nigeria kicks against illegal recruitment of citizens" https://dailytrust.com/russia-war-nigeria-kicks-against-illegal-recruitment-of-citizens/
United24 Media, "Togolese citizens captured in Ukraine while fighting for Russia, Togo Foreign Ministry says" https://united24media.com/latest-news/togolese-citizens-captured-in-ukraine-while-fighting-for-russia-togo-foreign-ministry-says-8082
Africa Defense Forum, "Zimbabwe Probes Russian War Recruiting Schemes" https://adf-magazine.com/2026/08/zimbabwe-probes-russian-war-recruiting-schemes/
Afrique Media, "Un étudiant zambien prisonnier en Russie retrouvé mort en Ukraine" https://afriquemedia.tv/2022/11/29/un-etudiant-zambien-prisonnier-en-russie-retrouve-mort-en-ukraine/
Investigations with Impact / All Eyes on Wagner, "The Business of Despair" https://alleyesonwagner.org/2026/02/11/the-business-of-despair/
Ukrainska Pravda, "Moscow uses 'cultural centres' in Africa to recruit fighters for war Ukraine's Defence Intelligence" https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/06/17/8039698/
Matin Libre, "Guerre en Ukraine: Des béninois enrôlés et déployés au front ?" https://matinlibre.com/2026/04/03/guerre-en-ukraine-des-beninois-enroles-et-deployes-au-front/
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