Death toll of African mercenaries fighting for Russia rises
Photo: The number of Russian mercenaries from Africa killed in the war has increased (facebook.com/DefenceIntelligenceofUkraine)
The number of identified foreign nationals from Africa who have been killed while fighting on Russia’s side against Ukraine is growing. Recently, the bodies of two Nigerian citizens serving in the Russian army were discovered in the Luhansk region, according to the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (HUR).
According to the agency, military intelligence identified two citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria — Hamzat Kazeen Kolawole (born April 3, 1983) and Mbah Stephen Udoka (born January 7, 1988).
Both men served in the 423rd Guards Motor Rifle Regiment (military unit 91701) of the 4th Guards Kantemirovskaya Tank Division of the Russian Armed Forces. They signed contracts with the Russian army in the second half of 2025: Kolawole on August 29 and Udoka on September 28.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, Udoka effectively received no military training — just five days later, on October 3, he was assigned to his unit and immediately deployed to the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.
There are no available documents regarding Kolawole’s training, but it is highly likely that he also did not undergo proper military preparation. His wife and three children are in Nigeria.
Both Nigerians were killed in late November during an attempted assault on Ukrainian positions in the Luhansk region. They did not engage in a firefight — the mercenaries were eliminated by a drone strike.
Photo: The bodies of two Nigerian citizens who served in the Russian army were found in the Luhansk region (facebook.com/DefenceIntelligenceofUkraine)
Photo: The bodies of two Nigerian citizens who served in the Russian army were found in the Luhansk region (facebook.com/DefenceIntelligenceofUkraine)
Photo: The bodies of two Nigerian citizens who served in the Russian army were found in the Luhansk region (facebook.com/DefenceIntelligenceofUkraine)
Photo: The bodies of two Nigerian citizens who served in the Russian army were found in the Luhansk region (facebook.com/DefenceIntelligenceofUkraine)
Africans fighting for Russia in Ukraine
Russia has long used residents of African countries as manpower in various armed conflicts, and its full-scale invasion of Ukraine is no exception.
At the beginning of the war, reports emerged that citizens of African and Middle Eastern countries would fight as part of the Russian army. Since then, campaigns to recruit foreigners have continued.
In December 2023, French outlet Le Monde reported that African mercenaries were serving in the Russian military within the so-called African Corps of Russia.
Evidence of Africans participating in combat has also been documented on the battlefield. Over the summer, fighters from the Freedom of Russia Legion captured a Nigerian citizen in the Zaporizhzhia direction who had been fighting for Russia.
Earlier in the Donetsk region, Ukrainian forces captured a mercenary wearing a Russian army uniform who was later identified as a citizen of Senegal.
Near Lyman in the Donetsk region, Ukrainian defenders also captured a Ugandan citizen.
According to him, he signed a contract with the Russian army under coercion — at gunpoint.
More details on how Russia recruits Africans are available in the material by RBC-Ukraine.
