15 of its citizens killed after fraudulent recruitment by Russia into Ukraine war

Rescue workers try to put out a fire of a residential building burning after a Russian drone attack on Zaporizhzhia, 24 March, 2026
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Published on
25/03/2026 - 20:48 GMT+1
Ukrainian officials have estimated that more than 1,700 people from African countries may have been fraudulently recruited to fight for Russia.

Zimbabwe said on Wednesday that 15 of its citizens have been killed after being recruited to fight in the war between Ukraine and Russia, as authorities warn of fraudulent schemes to lure recruits from other African countries into the conflict.

A Russian Pion self-propelled 203 mm cannon fires towards a Ukrainian position, 23 March, 2026
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He said the "pattern" includes victims being promised attractive salaries and safe working conditions, but they ended up being stripped of travel documents and "coerced into active combat."
"They receive little to no training and are placed in life-threatening situations
When they are injured, killed or captured, the recruiters vanish, leaving families in Zimbabwe with no information, no support and no one to hold accountable
In many cases, the promised remuneration is never paid," said Soda.

The southern African country, which enjoys close relations with Russia, is now working to secure the return of survivors and repatriate the bodies of those killed, the minister said.

Similar cases
Zimbabwe's announcement follows similar cases across Africa, where governments say their citizens have been lured through deceptive recruitment drives into the conflict, which has killed close to 2 million people, according to a January report by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

Rescue workers try to put out a fire caused by the fragments of a Russian drone that hit a private house during air attack in Kharkiv, 25 March, 2026
AP Photo
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Ukrainian officials have estimated that more than 1,700 Africans may have been fraudulently recruited to fight for Russia, while cases involving citizens of Nigeria and other countries have also been reported.

Investigations by the Associated Press new agency in 2024 found that recruitment networks have targeted workers in Africa and Asia through social media advertisements and private agencies, offering work-study programmes or civilian jobs that later turned into military contracts.

Some recruits said their passports were confiscated and they were forced to fight with little training.

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