Shahed drones vs. degrees: How Russia recruits Africans for war
Russia recruits African citizens en masse for the war (photo: Getty Images)
Russia actively recruits citizens from African countries to participate in its war against Ukraine, disguising the recruitment as educational programs and civilian employment, according to the Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Service.
Read also: Death toll of African mercenaries fighting for Russia rises
Hidden recruitment mechanisms
Moscow is using humanitarian initiatives to build loyal networks in more than 30 African countries.
Intelligence reports indicate that by the end of 2025, over 1,400 Africans were fighting on Russia's side. Recruitment is often framed as hiring security guards or construction workers, but recruits are later drawn into military operations.
Women aged 18–22 are a particular focus. Through the Alabuga Start program, they are sent to Russia under the pretext of civilian employment.
"But in fact to manufacture military products, including UAVs, in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone," the Foreign Intelligence Service notes.
Role of education and church
Russia also uses the "Russky Dom" network, state media, and educational scholarships to find potential recruits.
The Russian Orthodox Church has become another tool for influence, significantly expanding its presence in Africa in recent years.
"The construction of churches, high salaries for clergy, and distance learning in seminaries serve as a channel for forming loyal networks and spreading pro-Russian narratives about 'traditional values'," the intelligence service highlights.
Global response
Governments in Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, and other countries have already accused Moscow of mass recruitment of their citizens.
These countries plan to tighten oversight of employment agencies and restrict the operations of Russian cultural centers in the near future.
At war by deceit
Russia has been luring foreigners to fight in Ukraine by exploiting economic hardship in poorer countries, promising exorbitant salaries.
A high-profile scandal emerged in Kenya: individuals were promised jobs in hotels and construction, but upon arrival in Russia, they were forced to the front lines. Kenya later published figures on its citizens caught in the combat zone.
There are also reports of mass casualties among these mercenaries. Recent information indicates a rise in the number of Nigerian nationals killed, who were deployed in Russian-commanded "meat assaults" on the most dangerous front-line sectors.
