At least 1,400 citizens from 36 African countries have joined Russia in the war in Ukraine. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiha has called on governments to prevent foreign citizens from joining the war.

In a statement on Friday (November 7), Sibiha said that Russia is luring African people into the war in various ways. Some are being lured with money, while others are unknowingly walking towards death. In his words, signing such an agreement means signing a death sentence.

It is known that many foreign fighters are being sent to the battlefield with the promise of high salaries, Russian citizenship and secure jobs. In reality, they are being sent directly to fight on the front lines.

Ukrainian President Zelensky said, “Russia is conducting a type of human trafficking internationally where people are being pushed to their death with the promise of jobs.”

Sibiha wrote on the social media X that the fate of foreigners in the Russian army is very sad. Most are sent on so-called ‘meat assaults’ where they die quickly. Most mercenaries do not survive more than a month.

The South African government said it was investigating how 17 of its citizens had joined the mercenary forces. The country’s President Cyril Ramaphosa said the young men, aged between 20 and 39, were sent to the battlefield with the “lure of lucrative jobs”. They are currently stuck in the Donbas region of Ukraine and have asked for help to return home.

Kenyan President William Ruto said he had spoken to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about the release of young Kenyans illegally recruited into the Russian army. Ruto said, “We want to warn citizens that joining such a war means risking their lives.”

In addition to Africa, Ukraine has claimed that Russia has recruited people from China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, India and Cuba. It is believed that about 20,000 citizens from Cuba have been recruited into the Russian army. Local media reported that some Chinese and Indian citizens have also been captured by Ukrainian forces.