More than 1,400 citizens from 36 African countries are reportedly fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, Kyiv’s foreign ministry has revealed. Ukrainian officials say Moscow has turned to recruiting foreign fighters to replace heavy losses on the battlefield.
Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha warned that many Africans are being lured with false military contracts, which he called “a death sentence.” On X, Sybiha explained that most of these foreign recruits are immediately sent into what he described as “meat assaults,” where they are quickly killed.
He urged African governments to step in and warn their citizens against joining the Russian army. Ukraine has identified 1,436 Africans fighting for Russia, but the actual number could be higher. Sybiha said most of the captured foreign fighters were detained during their very first combat mission.
South Africa is already investigating reports that 17 of its citizens joined Russian mercenary forces. The men reportedly sent distress calls seeking help to return home, prompting Pretoria to act. Kenya has also expressed concerns, revealing that some of its nationals were detained in Russian camps after being misled into signing contracts they believed were civilian jobs.
Western intelligence agencies have previously reported that Russia increasingly relies on foreign recruits from Africa, the Middle East, and Asia to sustain its two-year-old invasion. Analysts say this recruitment highlights Russia’s manpower shortages and its expanding influence across Africa through private military networks.
Kyiv’s foreign ministry promised to continue sharing intelligence with African governments and international partners, aiming to stop citizens from joining what Ukraine calls “a war of aggression with fatal consequences.”
