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Russia Recruited About 3,000 Citizens From 36 African Countries for War in Ukraine
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Russia has recruited at least 2,965 citizens from 36 African countries to fight against Ukraine as part of the Russian military.
The figures were disclosed by Liubov Abravitova, director of the Department of Africa and Regional African Organizations at Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry, in an interview with Ukrinform on May 25.
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“The situation regarding Russia’s recruitment of mercenaries in African countries for the war against Ukraine is quite complicated. According to data from the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, as of May 1, 2026, at least 2,965 citizens from 36 African states are fighting or have fought as part of the Russian army against Ukraine,” Abravitova said.
She added that experts believe the real number may be significantly higher. According to the diplomat, the main African countries from which recruits are being drawn include Kenya, Egypt, Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, and Uganda.
Abravitova warned that the trend is “extremely alarming,” stating that Russian military authorities plan to recruit up to 18,500 foreign nationals in 2026 alone.
“Russia uses various recruitment mechanisms — from misleading people with promises of ‘free scholarships’ to recruitment through religious structures,” she said.
According to Abravitova, Ukraine has been forced to address each case individually through diplomatic engagement with African governments. She noted that in some countries Kyiv has managed to establish constructive dialogue and coordinate efforts aimed at countering Russian recruitment activities.
As an example, she pointed to a recent visit by Ghana’s foreign minister, after which both sides reportedly reached agreements on further cooperation in addressing the issue.
At the same time, Abravitova said some countries continue to lack sufficient political engagement despite the scale of recruitment operations.
“In countries such as Nigeria, despite the considerable number of people recruited by Russia, there is still a lack of systematic political involvement in solving this problem,” she stated.
The Ukrainian diplomat also argued that perceptions of Russia across Africa are gradually shifting because of Moscow’s reliance on foreign recruits in its war against Ukraine.
“Africa is beginning to view Russia differently because of the mercenary issue in the war against Ukraine. In many countries there is growing understanding that Russia’s so-called ‘second army of the world’ cannot cope with Ukraine and requires additional human resources, including from the African continent,” Abravitova said.
At the same time, Russia has been intensifying efforts to recruit foreign citizens from African nations to participate in the war against Ukraine, frequently relying on misleading employment schemes and informal посредiary networks.
According to Foreign Policy, recruitment campaigns have targeted people across dozens of African countries through social media, messaging platforms, and local job agencies advertising work opportunities in Russia.
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