Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, has revealed that more than 1,700 African nationals are currently fighting for Russia in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
Speaking on February 25, 2026, during a meeting with Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Sybiha said Ukraine is engaging African governments to prevent their citizens from being recruited into the conflict.
According to Sybiha, Russia has allegedly been luring Africans with promises of well-paid jobs and better living conditions, only for them to be deployed to the battlefield after arrival.
“We clearly see that Russia is pulling African citizens into a suicidal war. Based on our data, there are currently 1,780 Africans serving in the Russian army,” he said.
Sybiha added that the fighters come from 36 African countries, including South Africa, Kenya, Uganda and Burundi, where cases of citizens ending up in the war have recently emerged.
Ablakwa said many Africans were taken to Russia under the promise of employment opportunities but later found themselves forced into combat without proper military training.
“They have never served in the security sector. They were not trained. They were taken under false pretenses and then pushed onto the battlefield,” Ablakwa stated.
Ghana also expressed support for Ukraine’s call for a ceasefire and a permanent end to the war. The country plans to request Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to release two Ghanaian prisoners of war captured while fighting for Russia.
Meanwhile, South Africa has begun repatriating 11 of its citizens who were reportedly deceived into joining Russian forces. According to the office of President Cyril Ramaphosa, the men were captured in the Donbas region after being recruited with promises of employment.
Two others remain in Russia, including one receiving medical treatment in a Moscow hospital. Ramaphosa had earlier raised the matter with Russian President Vladimir Putin following an appeal from the group in November 2025.
In Kenya, an intelligence report submitted to Parliament indicates that more than 1,000 Kenyans may have been enlisted to fight on Russia’s side. Kenya’s Foreign Minister has announced plans to visit Russia to address the issue.
The alleged recruitment of African nationals into the war has strained relations between Moscow and several African governments, while Russia has not publicly commented on the claims.
Arsene Byiringiro/The kaminuza star