Videos of different African young men keep emerging, with them disclosing that they were deceived into joining Russia’s war in Ukraine after being promised jobs, education and better opportunities, only to find themselves forced onto the battlefield.
One man from Nigerian, who recently escaped, told his side of the story on how a dream to support his family turned into a nightmare.
“I came to Russia with the hope of helping my family and myself, but I did not know I was going to work as a soldier,” he said. “ When I received their contract, it was written in Russian. After filling it in, I was sent to the embassy for a visa. I was happy and my family were equally happy for me because they thought this was an opportunity to improve my life. But when I got to Russia, everything changed, we were taken into a camp and I was seeing soldiers everywhere, they told us there was no going back. We did not understand what was going on and what we signed.”
Investigations by international media and human rights groups have revealed a wide recruitment network targeting young men from not so well to do countries, mainly in Africa and the Middle East. At the centre of the scandal is Polina Alexandrovna Azarnykh, a former Russian teacher who is accused of using a Telegram channel to lure foreigners into signing contracts with the Russian army.
According to the BBC, Azarnykh talks to these men, promising them good pay, Russian citizenship and non-combat jobs. But when they get there, it is a different story, as many are sent to the front line after only a few days of training. One recruit from Syria narrated that she took his passport and demanded money so that he can stay out of combat. When he refused, he was threatened and made to fight.
BBC says it found nearly 500 recruitment invitations linked to her instagram account, and more than 12 families say their sons who were recruited through her are now dead or missing. Azarnykh has denied all allegations.
The scandal comes as Russia faces heavy losses in Ukraine. NATO estimates more than one million Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded since 2022, pushing Moscow to recruit foreigners through informal networks and cash incentives.
Disturbing videos circulating online appear to show African recruits being abused and humiliated by Russian soldiers. In one clip, an African man is seen with a landmine strapped to his chest and ordered toward Ukrainian positions while being called a “can-opener” and “disposable.” Recently, 17 South Africans made a distress call to their government for help to get back to their homes after being lured via a recruitment by former President Jacob Zuma’s daughter, who has since resigned her parliamentary position.
Ukraine’s Ambassador to South Africa, Olexander Scherba, said Africans are being used as “meat for the meat grinder” to replace fallen Russian troops. He warned that some new recruits survive only a few days at the front.
Apart from South Africa, several other African governments have confirmed their citizens are involved. Kenya says at least 82 Kenyans have been caught up in the war. Uganda, Cameroon, Sierra Leone and Malawi are also among the affected countries while a Zimbabwean was killed at the battlefront, although the government has not issued any statement yet.
And an Ugandan, Richard Akantoran, said he heard about the program from a friend who told him they were recruiting in Russia for different jobs such as supermarket job and security guards at airports.
He went to Russia with the hope of working in a supermarket but was instead taken to a forested military facility and forced into service.
Similar stories have emerged from recruits who believed they were going to work in factories, airports or security jobs.
The Alabuga Start Programme, is another scheme accused of being used to lure young Africans with scholarships and technical training but instead they are being trapped in drone-making factories or pushing them toward military recruitment. The network is said to affect people from more than 27 African countries and is now expanding into Latin America and South Asia.
According to Russian data, more than 111,000 African workers entered Russia in 2024 alone. Interpol and several African governments are now investigating, while the United Nations says fraudulent recruitment could amount to human trafficking.
Although platforms such as YouTube, Meta and TikTok have removed some recruitment accounts, many channels such as Telegram remain active.
For survivors like the Nigerian man, escape came with relief but also regret. “We were tricked,” he said. “We were treated like numbers, not people. I am just grateful I am alive and back home.”
Zambia Reports 2025