From 1,400 to nearly 3,000, and possibly more: Africa’s role in Russia’s war may be larger than thought
In April, an investigation revealed that around 1,400 African nationals had been recruited to fight for Russia in the war in Ukraine, with over 300 reportedly killed.
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![Kenya is racing to bring home citizens caught in the Russia–Ukraine war as prisoners of war [Source: Defence Intelligence of Ukraine]](https://ocdn.eu/pulscms/MDA_/d9c4081f5dced9b4d65bbb7f654a0830.jpg)
In April, an investigation revealed that around 1,400 African nationals had been recruited to fight for Russia in the war in Ukraine, with over 300 reportedly killed.
- Around 3,000 African nationals have been recruited by Russia to fight in Ukraine, much higher than previously reported.
- Recruits mainly come from Kenya, Egypt, Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, and Uganda, with the number projected to be more.
- Russia allegedly uses deceptive tactics such as promises of scholarships and recruitment through religious organizations to attract fighters.
- Ukraine has engaged diplomatically with African nations to counter Russian recruitment, achieving some cooperative agreements, notably with Ghana.
However, this number seems to have been understated as Liubov Abravitova, director of the Department of Africa and Regional African Organizations at Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry, noted in a recent interview that the number is as high as 3000.
“The situation regarding Russia’s recruitment of mercenaries in African countries for the war against Ukraine is quite complicated,” Abravitova said.
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,” she added.
Experts think the actual figure might be much higher, she continued. The diplomat stated that Kenya, Egypt, Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, and Uganda are the primary African nations from which recruits are being selected.
Russian military authorities intend to recruit up to 18,500 foreign nationals in 2026 alone, according to Abravitova, who called the development "extremely alarming," as seen on the United24Media.
“Russia uses various recruitment mechanisms, from misleading people with promises of ‘free scholarships’ to recruitment through religious structures,” she said.
Abravitova asserts that Ukraine has found it necessary to pursue individualized diplomatic engagement with African states to address these circumstances.
She disclosed that Kyiv has successfully established collaborative frameworks to counter Russian recruitment initiatives and has fostered constructive dialogue within certain countries.
The Director referenced a recent official visit by the Ghanaian Foreign Minister as a pertinent example, noting that the two parties reportedly reached several agreements regarding further cooperation to resolve this issue.
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“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 director also spoke about Russia’s growing role in Africa’s security ecosystem, noting that it is breeding mistrust.
“Africa is beginning to view Russia differently because of the mercenary issue in the war against Ukraine.
In many countries, there is a 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,” she stated.
