Friday, February 27, 2026 - Ghana’s
Foreign Minister Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa has revealed that 55 Ghanaians have been
killed while fighting in Ukraine, describing the situation as “depressing and
frightening.”
In a post on X on Friday, February 27, Ablakwa said the
government had been informed that 272 Ghanaians were believed to have been
lured into the conflict since 2022, with 55 confirmed dead and two captured as
prisoners of war.
“We cannot turn a blind eye to these heartbreaking
statistics. These are not just numbers, they represent human lives, the hope of
many Ghanaian families and our nation,” he wrote after meeting his Ukrainian
counterpart in Kyiv.
Ukraine said earlier this week that more than 1,780 citizens
from 36 African countries had been identified among Russian forces. Ablakwa
said Ghana’s government was “committed to tracking and dismantling all dark web
illegal recruitment schemes operating within our jurisdiction,” amid growing
concerns that African nationals are being deceived with promises of jobs before
being deployed to the frontlines.
AFP reporters in late 2025 met prisoners of war from Kenya,
Togo, Cameroon and Nigeria. Several Africans have alleged they were promised
lucrative civilian employment in Russia but were instead forced to sign
military contracts and sent into combat with minimal training.
In Kenya, a key figure accused of facilitating the
recruitment of more than 1,000 nationals to fight for Russia was charged with
human trafficking on Thursday, according to the state prosecutor.
South Africa has also reported similar cases. Foreign
Minister Ronald Lamola said 15 men who were reportedly tricked into joining
mercenary forces were recently repatriated, though several remain in Russia and
at least two have died in the conflict.
The revelations have intensified scrutiny over alleged recruitment networks targeting African nationals amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
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