The involvement of African nationals in Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine has raised alarming concerns about exploitation and deception.
Reports indicate that some Africans, drawn by promises of employment or opportunities, have found themselves on the front lines in circumstances they never anticipated.
Ukraine’s ambassador to South Africa, Olexander Scherba, described the situation bluntly, saying that Moscow “does not value” the lives of African recruits.
Many have allegedly been lured into service only to be treated as expendable in a war that has already cost hundreds of thousands of lives.
Numbers Behind the Claims
In November, Ukraine revealed that it had identified 1,426 fighters from 36 African countries serving in the Russian army, but warned that the actual figure might be significantly higher.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha emphasized that these recruits were being used as “cannon fodder” amid Russia’s mounting casualties, which are estimated at around one million killed, wounded, or missing since February 2022.
Disturbing Social Media Footage
Chilling videos circulating online have brought further attention to the treatment of African soldiers.
Some footage appears to show Russian troops using racist language and joking about African deaths.
In one particularly harrowing video, a black recruit is reportedly forced to strap a landmine to his chest and act as a “human bomb” to destroy a Ukrainian bunker.
In another clip, Russian soldiers mock a group of black mercenaries singing in their native language in a snowy forest.
One soldier remarks on how “disposable” they are, adding that their songs would change once they reached the front lines.
Scherba reflected on these videos, telling The Telegraph that while Russia might conduct charm offensives across Africa, once Africans are drawn into the conflict, they “just become meat for the meat grinder.”
He added, “Even those dedicated to Russia, even those who love Russia, in the end they still can wind up just as meat in the meat grinder.”
Reports of Deceptive Recruitment
Since the beginning of the war, multiple reports have surfaced of Africans being misled into joining Russian forces.
In South Africa, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, daughter of former President Jacob Zuma, recently resigned as an MP after accusations that she tricked 17 men into fighting for Russia under the pretense of lucrative contracts.
Many of these men, aged 20 to 39, later sent distress calls from the Donbas region, realizing they had been deceived.
There are also accounts of women being recruited under false pretenses to work in Russian drone factories, with social media campaigns promising jobs in catering or hospitality.
In Kenya, citizens were reportedly detained in Russian military camps after inadvertently being caught up in the conflict.
A Personal Story: Kenyan Athlete Trapped in Russia
One striking case is that of Kenyan athlete Evans Kibet, who ended up a prisoner of war in Lviv after being drawn into the Russian military.
Kibet, 35, had arrived in St. Petersburg for a two-week visa to host a cultural event.
He was persuaded to stay under the promise of a one-year work visa to improve life for his family.
Kibet signed documents he could not understand, only to have his passport seized the next morning and be taken to a military facility.
After five days, he was sent to the front line.
Terrified by the reality of combat and seeing so many dead soldiers, he deserted and fled into the forest.
Eventually, he encountered Ukrainian soldiers.
He raised his hands, fell to his knees, and pleaded for his life, explaining that he was Kenyan and not a fighter.
The Ukrainians took him in as a prisoner of war and transferred him to a camp in Lviv, saving him from the fate he had narrowly escaped.
The Bigger Picture
These accounts highlight a disturbing pattern of deception, coercion, and disregard for human life in Russia’s recruitment of foreign fighters.
Whether through direct manipulation or promises of opportunity, many Africans have been caught in a war that values them only as expendable soldiers.
As the conflict continues, the international community is left grappling with the ethical and humanitarian implications of these revelations.
For many recruits, the promises of opportunity have ended in a nightmare they could never have anticipated.
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