Ghana asks Moscow to stop recruiting its citizens for war in Ukraine
on Google
Ghana has appealed to Moscow to end "illegal recruitment" of Ghanaian citizens for the Russia-Ukraine war, Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said, as reported by the Russian media on Aug. 17.
According to Ablakwa, 62 of his country's citizens have been killed in Ukraine, and 15 remain missing.
The news comes amid growing concerns among governments in Africa, Asia, and elsewhere about Moscow's efforts to recruit their citizens as mercenaries for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking at a press conference after talks with Ablakwa, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov alleged that Ghanaian citizens signed contracts with Russia's Defense Ministry out of "solidarity with a country that helped them fight racism," as well as for "material and financial reasons."
Ablakwa said the two ministers agreed to work together toward resolving the issue.
According to Lavrov, the Russian Defense Ministry has received similar requests from other countries and created "a special body that reviews these requests."
Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) claimed in April that Russia plans to recruit over 18,500 foreigners into its armed forces in 2026. In February, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that 1,780 citizens of numerous African countries are known to be fighting for Russia.
Since the onset of its full-scale invasion in 2022, Russia has been recruiting fighters from Global South countries by promising financial benefits and Russian citizenship.
Several countries have raised alarms over rising recruitment rates, with Botswana issuing an official warning about "deceptive recruitment schemes."
Foreigners have previously reported being misled and coerced into active combat as Moscow intensified its propaganda operations across African countries.
