Mega Fm & Agency
Amnesty International has urged African leaders attending the 2026 Russia-Africa Summit to demand an end to the alleged deceptive and coercive recruitment of African citizens into the Russian military to fight in the war against Ukraine.
In an open letter dated October 27, 2026, directors of Amnesty International’s sections across Africa called on heads of state, government ministers and other delegates to raise the issue directly with Russian authorities, warning that silence would amount to a failure to protect their citizens from exploitation.
The organisation says some Africans have been lured to Russia with promises of well-paying civilian jobs and the prospect of Russian citizenship, only to find themselves recruited into the military and deployed to the front lines in Ukraine.
Others, particularly migrants and refugees, have been pressured into military service through threats of detention, deportation or other penalties linked to their immigration status.
The appeal comes as concerns grow over the vulnerability of people from economically disadvantaged communities to recruitment schemes that exploit their search for employment, better living conditions and opportunities to support their families.
According to official and media reports, hundreds of African nationals have been killed or gone missing after being recruited—often through deceptive job offers or promises of legal status—to fight for the Russian military in the Russia-Ukraine war.
• Uganda: The Ugandan Embassy in Moscow confirmed the deaths of 11 Ugandans (Ronald Bugiri, John Male, Francis Ngabirano, Innocent Agaba, Levi Kasule, Bigirwa Mugisa, Richard Twine, Junior Moses Mawejje, Pius Byamugisha, David Buyondo, and Geofrey Kamugira), with another 16 missing and presumed dead, alongside earlier individual confirmations.
• Ghana: Reports indicate at least 62 Ghanaians have been killed and 15 remain missing out of over 272 citizens drawn into the conflict.
• Kenya: The Kenyan government reported that 19 Kenyans have been killed and 32 are missing, out of nearly 300 officially tracked recruits.
• Zimbabwe: The Zimbabwean government confirmed that 15 Zimbabweans have died on the front lines while 66 remain actively involved or trapped.
• Cameroon: Local and civil society reports estimate that over 70 Cameroonians have died after being recruited via informal networks and private contractors.
• Broader Continent: Ukrainian and human rights tracking data (such as figures compiled via Stop Russian Recruiters) estimate that citizens from dozens of African nations—including Algeria, Burundi, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, and Tanzania—have suffered casualties, with total estimated African deaths in Russian ranks numbering anywhere from over 300 to nearly 500 or higher.