Sybiha: Russia Sends African Recruits to Die in ‘Meat Assaults’
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha informed that Russia is actively recruiting citizens of African countries to participate in the war against Ukraine, often through deception or coercion.
The Gaze reports on it, referring to his post on social media platform X.
According to Sybiha, at least 1,436 citizens from 36 African countries are currently fighting on Russia's side, but the actual number may be significantly higher. The Russian side uses various recruitment methods, ranging from financial promises to coercion. Often, people do not realize what they are getting themselves into, or are forced to sign contracts under pressure.
The Ukrainian diplomat stressed that for foreigners, service in the Russian army almost always ends tragically.
“Most of them are immediately sent to the so-called ‘meat assaults,’ where they are quickly killed,” Sybiha emphasized. “The Russian command understands that there will be no accountability for the killed foreigner, so they are treated as second-rate, expendable human material.”
The Ukrainian Foreign Minister appealed to African governments to officially warn their citizens against participating in the war against Ukraine, as it is illegal, immoral, and violates the UN Charter. He also called on those who are already on the front lines to seek opportunities to surrender, as the Ukrainian side guarantees humane treatment in accordance with international humanitarian law.
As reported earlier, Russia is deceiving African migrants by promising them jobs in factories, but instead sending them to fight against Ukraine. People from Cameroon, Senegal, Ghana, Zimbabwe, and other countries are forced to sign contracts and, after brief training, are sent to the front lines, where most of them die.
Some are hired ostensibly to work in factories, including drone production, without being warned that they will actually end up in a combat zone.
In particular, Russia is actively recruiting young women from South Africa to work at a military factory producing strike drones in the Alabuga zone, under the guise of promising high salaries and career growth.
In reality, this is part of the Russian military-industrial complex working for the war against Ukraine. The Kremlin uses BRICS structures to recruit personnel, masking military goals as economic cooperation. In this way, Moscow is replicating colonial practices, exploiting vulnerable African communities under the guise of partnership.
As The Gaze previously informed, South Africa launched an official investigation after it became known that its citizens were part of Russian military formations.