Serious accusations of deception, human trafficking, and involuntary military induction have arisen following claims from numerous African individuals who assert they were misled into fighting for Russia in its ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
Victims from Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, and several other African nations allege that they were enticed with offers of lucrative civilian employment in Russia, only to find themselves imprisoned, trained as soldiers, and sent to the battlefield against their wishes.
One alleged victim, Bankole Manchi, a 36-year-old mechanic from Nigeria, shared his ordeal in a widely circulated video. He recounted leaving Lagos after receiving an offer that appeared to be a legitimate overseas job, promising a monthly salary of approximately ₦500,000.
As per Manchi, a middleman assisted him in his travel arrangements and provided documents with minimal personal details required from him. Trusting the authenticity of the arrangement, he traveled through Addis Ababa to Moscow, with his family's knowledge.
Upon his arrival in Russia, he was reportedly handed over to unidentified individuals and taken to a military-style camp instead of a workplace. At the camp, he claimed to have met other recruits from Nigeria, Ghana, France, Brazil, and China.
According to his account, the recruits encountered language barriers, were reliant on translation applications, and were informed that escape was not an option. Their training progressed from basic drills to handling weapons, practicing with grenades, and conducting night operations, with injured recruits allegedly pressured to continue.
Manchi further alleged that they were moved at night into Ukrainian territory, where they were met with heavy gunfire shortly after their arrival. He mentioned suffering a gunshot wound to his leg and enduring for days with little food and water before receiving medical care.
He characterized the African recruits as being treated like “disposable fighters” in a conflict they never agreed to join.
Similar stories have surfaced from Uganda and Kenya. In a video shared by journalist Phillip Obaji Jr., a Ugandan man revealed that he and others were promised jobs in supermarkets, airports, and private security services, yet were forcibly recruited into the Russian army instead.
The Ugandan individual claimed they were held under armed surveillance in underground shelters with dire living conditions until he managed to escape and surrender to Ukrainian troops, who subsequently verified his identity.
Researcher Sholla Ard has also alleged that there is a recruitment network focusing on young Africans. He asserted that a Russian company, ST3 Metal LLC, provided short-term employment letters to facilitate recruitment visas before pressuring these individuals into military service.
Ard noted that the travel routes reportedly traversed Juba, Nairobi, and Turkey, and emphasized that documents and testimonies he gathered imply that some African recruits are missing or may have perished in combat.
Human rights organizations are now urging African governments, international bodies, and the United Nations to initiate immediate investigations. So far, there has been no official response to these allegations from either the Russian government or ST3 Metal LLC.
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