International News / Russia-Ukraine War
The Russian Embassy in Accra has denied allegations that Russia is unlawfully recruiting African nationals to fight in the war against Ukraine, while saying it is prepared to investigate cases involving Ghanaian citizens who may have been deceived or coerced.
The Russian Embassy in Accra has rejected allegations that Russia is deliberately and unlawfully recruiting African nationals to fight in its war against Ukraine.
Russian Ambassador to Ghana, Andrei Ordash, said Russia does not recruit foreign nationals unlawfully for military service and maintained that allegations of deliberate recruitment of Africans through illegal means were untrue.
He said, however, that the embassy recognised concerns raised by the Ghanaian government over the fate of citizens who may have ended up in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
According to the Ambassador, if credible information emerges that a Ghanaian citizen was deceived, coerced or unlawfully recruited into Russia’s military, the embassy would be prepared to review the case through the appropriate authorities and pursue the necessary remedy.
Mr Ordash explained that Russian law allows foreign nationals to undertake military service on a contractual basis. He said the participation of a foreign national in the Russian military was not, by itself, unlawful if the person voluntarily entered into a contract with full knowledge of the nature and obligations of the service.
He, however, distinguished voluntary military service from cases in which individuals may have been deceived about the nature of employment, coerced into signing contracts or recruited through fraudulent schemes.
The comments come amid concerns over reports that some Africans have allegedly been recruited to serve with Russian forces through misleading overseas employment opportunities.
In July 2026, reports cited concerns over alleged criminal recruitment networks involving Ghanaians. The reports indicated that 272 Ghanaian nationals had reportedly been drafted into the conflict through fraudulent employment schemes, including 55 who were said to have died and two reportedly held as prisoners of war.
The concerns have also been linked to broader allegations involving African nationals. Ukrainian officials have previously accused Russia of using deceptive recruitment methods to enlist Africans into its military.
Amnesty International, in a September 2026 briefing, said it had documented cases involving foreign nationals who were allegedly recruited through deceptive, coercive and exploitative practices. The organisation said some individuals were promised civilian jobs, high salaries or opportunities to obtain Russian citizenship before being drawn into military service.
Amnesty said its research included interviews with nationals from several countries, including Sierra Leone, South Africa, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba and Egypt. It reported that some recruits were allegedly promised civilian positions in areas such as security, logistics, construction and information technology but were subsequently sent into military service.
The organisation said some foreign recruits reported restrictions on their freedom of movement after signing military contracts, while others said they received limited preparation before being deployed to combat zones.
The Russian Embassy's position differs from these allegations. Ambassador Ordash said any individual who voluntarily enters into a military contract should be distinguished from a person who is a victim of deception, coercion or a criminal recruitment network.
He said cases involving alleged fraud or coercion should be investigated individually to establish the circumstances under which people entered military service.
Security Partnership
The Russian Ambassador also expressed Moscow’s willingness to strengthen security cooperation with Ghana in areas that correspond with Ghana’s national interests.
He identified counter-terrorism and the fight against extremism as key areas for potential cooperation, particularly as security threats linked to the Sahel continue to concern countries in West Africa.
Mr Ordash said Russia could share experience and expertise in areas including counter-terrorism, specialist training, threat analysis, border security and combating transnational crime.
He added that Russia recognised Ghana’s position that African countries should play a central role in addressing security challenges on the continent.
The issue of African nationals becoming involved in the Russia-Ukraine war remains a concern for governments and families across the continent, with Ghanaian authorities seeking clarity on the circumstances surrounding citizens who may have been recruited or taken into the conflict.
Your conversation is visible only to you and the admin team.
Comments
No comments yet.