African leaders charged to confront Russia over recruitment of citizens for Ukraine war

The Centre for Innovation and Technology, CITE, has urged African leaders attending the Third Russia–Africa Summit in Moscow on October 28 and 29, 2026, to address the recruitment of African citizens into the Russia–Ukraine war.

In a statement signed by its Director of Media Centre, Zenzele Ndebele, the Bulawayo-based organisation said some Africans travelled to Russia after being promised civilian employment in security, driving and factory work, only to be recruited into the conflict.

According to CITE, recruits and their families reported that some workers were presented with contracts written in Russian, which they could not understand upon arrival. Their passports and mobile phones were allegedly confiscated before they were sent to the front line after approximately two weeks of training.

The organisation said the situation had left families searching for missing relatives, grieving those confirmed dead and appealing to their governments for assistance.

“In March 2026, the Zimbabwean government said 15 Zimbabweans had died after being recruited into the war, and 66 were still in Russia. Across the continent, thousands of Africans have been recruited,” Ndebele said.

“Families want to know if their relatives are alive, where they are, and when those who died will come home for burial. We hope our leaders will raise this with their Russian counterparts in Moscow,” he added.

CITE also welcomed efforts by Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade to identify missing or deceased citizens. The ministry collected DNA samples in Bulawayo on October 13 and 14 from relatives of Zimbabweans reported missing or dead, with families travelling from different parts of the country to participate.

“Families now want to know when the results will be ready and when the remains of those who died will be brought home,” Ndebele said.

The organisation noted that Zimbabwe was not the only African country affected, citing similar reports from Kenya, Uganda, Cameroon, South Africa, Nigeria and other nations.

It said more than 30 Kenyan families met in Nairobi on October 6 and called on President William Ruto to raise the matter at the summit. Uganda’s Parliament also discussed the issue on October 15, while families in Cameroon, where the government has confirmed the deaths of 16 citizens, established a group in August known as “Bring Back Our Sons and Brothers” to seek answers about their relatives.

CITE further cited a September 2026 report by Amnesty International, which found that the recruitment of foreign nationals into the war amounted to human trafficking in many cases because of the cross-border networks involved. The organisation argued that African countries would be better positioned to address the problem through coordinated action.

While acknowledging the longstanding relationships between African countries and Russia, CITE said diplomatic ties should not prevent governments from raising difficult issues with their partners.

The organisation called on African leaders at the summit to work with Russian authorities to investigate recruitment networks allegedly operating through fraudulent job offers, establish the whereabouts of missing, detained and deceased African citizens, and share available records with their respective governments.

It also urged both sides to facilitate the safe return of Africans who wish to leave Russia, repatriate the remains of those who died, and establish a reliable system for governments to provide verified information to affected families.

CITE said the African Union and its member states could strengthen efforts to resolve the matter by adopting a common position.

“We hope the summit will give families answers and lead to clear commitments,” the organisation said, adding that it would continue reporting on the cases.

CITE is an accountability journalism organisation based in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. It serves the Matabeleland region, national audiences and Zimbabweans in the diaspora through its website and social media platforms, including Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, X, WhatsApp and Instagram.

African leaders charged to confront Russia over recruitment of citizens for Ukraine war