Ghana Asks Ukraine to Free Ghanaian POWs Tricked Into Fighting for Russia

Ghana’s Foreign Minister Samuel Ablakwa visited Kyiv this week and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, urging the release of two Ghanaian citizens currently held as prisoners of war, Bloomberg reported on February 26.

Ablakwa called the discussions “fruitful,” emphasizing the humanitarian grounds for their release.

The issue has raised growing concerns in Africa, particularly regarding the recruitment of African nationals by Russia to bolster its manpower amid military shortages in its war against Ukraine.

Countries like Kenya and South Africa have successfully repatriated citizens who were tricked into signing contracts with the Russian military, Bloomberg wrote.

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War in Ukraine

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According to the nonprofit research group Inpact, 234 of the identified 1,417 Africans fighting for Russia are Ghanaian, making Ghana the third-largest contributor of African fighters, following Egypt and Cameroon.

Earlier, President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa confirmed that the government had successfully facilitated the return of citizens who were deceived into participating in combat for Russia.

According to a statement from the president’s office, four individuals returned to South Africa last week, with another 11 expected to return soon. One individual is currently hospitalized, and another is preparing to travel.

The men were recruited with the assistance of Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, the daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma. Families of the affected individuals reported that the men were initially promised training as bodyguards, but were subsequently coerced into signing military contracts.

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