Russia recruits South Africans for war against Ukraine via Discord — Bloomberg
Photo: Russia recruited South African residents to fight against Ukraine through a gaming app (Getty Images)
Russia used the Discord app, popular among gamers, to recruit South African citizens to fight in the war against Ukraine, according to Bloomberg.
Two men aged around 20 left South Africa in July 2024 after communicating with a recruiter using the nickname Dash on a gaming app.
The South Africans were offered a one-year contract in the Russian army near St. Petersburg. After basic training, one of the soldiers died on the front lines in the Luhansk region in October 2024, and the whereabouts of the other are currently unknown.
The South Africans were promised the opportunity to obtain Russian citizenship and continue their education after their service.
According to the agency's sources, this recruitment practice arose against the backdrop of heavy losses by the Russian army in Ukraine and a shortage of personnel.
Russia has also recruited citizens of other African countries, including Kenya, Cameroon, and Burkina Faso, but none of these cases involved the use of gaming apps for communication.
Bloomberg notes that Russia's recruitment has drawn criticism and legal consequences. Fighting for or supporting a foreign country has been illegal in South Africa since 1998.
At the end of November, a woman from state radio and four men were arrested on charges of recruitment. They have been charged, and the next hearing is scheduled for February 10.
Russia recruits foreigners for war against Ukraine
The Indian government recently reported at least 200 cases of Russian recruiters recruiting Indian citizens for the war against Ukraine. At least 26 Indian citizens have died in the war, and 7 are considered missing in action.
According to the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, since 2022, Russia has recruited foreigners from 128 countries around the world, using fraudulent recruitment centers, private companies, and state channels with the help of its diplomatic and cultural institutions.
Most of the mercenaries fighting for Russia are from North Korea and Central Asia. There are also many Africans of various nationalities.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has called on African countries to take decisive measures to stop Russian schemes that lure young people across the continent into the war against Ukraine.
For more details on how Russia recruits foreigners to fight in Ukraine, see the RBC-Ukraine's article.
