Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has said that more than 1,400 people from 36 African nations are known to be fighting for Russia in its war against Ukraine, urging governments to warn their citizens not to join a conflict in which they will be “quickly killed”.
Speaking on Friday, Sybiha accused Moscow of inciting Africans to join the war and sign military contracts that amounted to… a death sentence.
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“Foreign citizens in the Russian army have a sad fate,” Sybiha wrote in X. “Most of them are immediately sent to the so-called ‘meat attacks’, where they are quickly killed.”
“Most mercenaries do not survive more than a month,” he said.
“Russia recruits nationals of African countries using various methods. Some are offered money, while others are deceived and do not realize what they are signing up for or are forced to do so under duress. Signing a contract is equivalent to signing a death sentence,” he added.
The minister’s warning came as several African governments acknowledged cases of their citizens joining Russian forces in Ukraine.
According to available information, at least 1,436 citizens from 36 African countries are currently fighting in the ranks of the invading Russian army in Ukraine. The number represents those identified, although the actual number could be higher.
Russia recruits citizens of African origin…
– Andrii Sybiha 🇺🇦 (@andrii_sybiha) November 7, 2025
South Africa said Thursday it was investigating how 17 of its citizens became involved with mercenary groups after the men issued distress calls asking for help returning home.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said South African men aged between 20 and 39 were lured to join mercenary forces “under the pretext of lucrative employment contracts” and had issued distress calls after becoming trapped in the Donbass area of Ukraine.
A spokesman for Ramaphosa said it was not yet clear which side the men were fighting on, but Russia has been accused of recruiting men from other countries to fight in the war under the pretext of offering them jobs.
Russia has also been accused of tricking women from South Africa and other parts of Africa into working in Russian drone factories through social media campaigns promising them jobs in fields such as restaurants and hospitality.
Kenya also reported last month that some of its citizens had been detained in Russian military camps after being involuntarily caught up in the conflict.
In a social media post on Friday, Kenyan President William Ruto said he had spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about “young Kenyans who have been illegally recruited to fight in the war in Ukraine” and that the two agreed to “raise awareness about the dangers of such ventures.”
Ruto said he asked his Ukrainian counterpart to “facilitate the release of any Kenyans in Ukrainian custody” and was grateful that Zelenskyy had accepted “my appeal.”
I have had a fruitful telephone conversation with the President @ZelenskyyUa of Ukraine and discussed various issues of mutual interest between our two peoples and countries.
We express our concern for young Kenyans who have been illegally recruited to fight in the war in Ukraine, and…
– William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) November 6, 2025
According to Sybiha, the actual number of African recruits by Russian forces could exceed the 1,436 identified so far. He added that most of the foreign fighters captured by Ukraine were captured during their first combat mission, and that kyiv would soon reveal more details about the origins of these recruits who have been taken prisoner.
Ukrainian officials have long accused Russia of bolstering its ranks by enlisting fighters from abroad, often using deceptive tactics.
In August, Zelenskyy said Russian troops fighting near the border town of Vovchansk in the Kharkiv region included mercenaries from China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan and several African countries, citing reports from Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines.
China’s Foreign Ministry dismissed those claims as “irresponsible remarks,” while Pakistan called them “baseless and baseless.”
According to the Kyiv Independent newspaper, several hundred Chinese citizens have been fighting for Russia.
After Ukrainian troops reported capturing Chinese fighters in April, Zelenskyy said Russia was distributing recruiting videos through Chinese social media.
In October, the Kyiv Independent also reported the capture of a 22-year-old Indian national who had joined Russian forces to avoid a seven-year prison sentence on drug charges. Many foreign recruits are reportedly promised high salaries, Russian citizenship or non-combatant roles, only to be sent directly to the battlefield.
Ukraine also believes that the largest contingent of foreign fighters in the Russian ranks may come from Cuba, estimating that up to 20,000 Cubans have been recruited as mercenaries.
