Uganda reports dozens of citizens dead or missing in Ukraine war
Photo: Relatives search for a Kenyan man recruited into the Russian army (Getty Images)
Twenty-seven Ugandan citizens have been killed or gone missing in the war against Ukraine. They were recruited to serve in the Russian army, according to a letter from the Ugandan Embassy in Moscow to Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Uganda raises the alarm
Twenty-seven Ugandans who were recruited to fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine have been killed or are presumed dead.
The letter names 11 Ugandans whose deaths have been confirmed and 16 whose bodies have not been found, including among prisoners of war.
The Ugandan Embassy said it received the information from Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs through a diplomatic communication.
A Ugandan Foreign Ministry official confirmed the authenticity of the letter.
Russia recruits Africans
More and more African nationals are being recruited to Russia under the guise of job offers before being sent to fight on the front lines in Ukraine. The scheme has sparked outrage in countries like Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa.
Last year, Ukraine said that more than 1,400 citizens from around 30 African countries were fighting alongside Russian forces on its territory, with some having been recruited through deception.
Russian authorities deny illegally recruiting African nationals to take part in combat operations in Ukraine.
Earlier, RBC-Ukraine reported that several African countries had appealed to Ukraine to repatriate their citizens who had fought on Russia’s side and been taken prisoner.
In addition, the Kremlin has been increasingly recruiting Africans to fight in Ukraine under the guise of job offers.
It was also reported that Russia had recruited more than 1,000 Kenyan citizens to fight in the war.
