Russia is systematically recruiting citizens of African countries to participate in the war against Ukraine, using them as "cannon fodder." This was reported by the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (CPD), informs UNN.
Details
It is noted that Zimbabwe's Minister of Information, Jemu Soda, stated that citizens of the country were drawn into hostilities through fraudulent recruitment schemes. People were promised high-paying jobs, but upon arrival in Russia, their documents were confiscated, and they were forcibly sent to the front lines without proper training. At least 66 Zimbabweans are known to be attempting to return.
Similar cases have been recorded across the African continent. According to the National Intelligence Service of Kenya (NIS), Russian entities have recruited approximately 1,000 citizens of the country. In South Africa, schemes for recruiting youth through online games and digital platforms have been exposed.
Russia uses semi-criminal networks and manipulative campaigns to find new victims. After foreigners reach the front, recruiters disappear, leaving the families of the deceased without compensation or information from Moscow.
The CPD adds that the number of such cases is increasing, indicating the Kremlin's intensification. At the same time, Russia is increasingly aggressively using foreigners to compensate for its own losses in the war against Ukraine - despite the rhetoric about "common interests" with African countries.
Recall
According to the CPD, Russian authorities are massively bringing migrants from Central Asia to the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and recruiting them into the army.