₦airaland Forum

‘You escape, or you die’: African men say Russia duped them into fighting in Ukraine


Nairobi
—
Anne Ndarua fights back tears when she talks about her only son. Six months ago, Francis Ndung’u Ndarua went to Russia on the promise of a job as an electrical engineer. She hasn’t been able to reach him since October and is no longer sure if he’s alive.

In December, someone sent Anne a video of her son warning other Africans not to travel to Russia for any job offers. “You’ll end up being taken to the military even if you’ve never served in the military, and you’re taken to the frontline battle. And there are true killings,” he says in the video, sent from an unknown Kenyan number. “Many friends have died in the name of money.”

About a week later, a disturbing video of Francis went viral on social media. In uniform, with a land mine strapped to his chest, he appears scared as a Russian speaker, using racist slurs, says he will be used as a “can-opener” to breach Ukrainian army positions.

“It’s so traumatizing,” Anne told CNN, saying she hadn’t watched it after her daughter described the video to her. Distraught at his plight, she only agreed to be interviewed as a last-ditch effort to try to jolt the Kenyan and Russian governments into action.

“I’m appealing to the Kenyan and Russian governments to work together to bring those children home,” she said. “They lied to them about real jobs and now they’re in war with their lives in danger.”

Francis, 35, was unemployed and living with his mother in a small community outside the Kenyan capital before he left, having paid about $620 to an agent to facilitate the opportunity. Anne was surprised when Francis informed the family he was being forced into military training when he got to Russia. He was deployed to Ukraine after just three weeks of basic training, she says.

Francis is one of a growing number of Africans fighting for Russia in Ukraine, though exact figures are not known.

A CNN investigation has uncovered new details around the recruitment tactics of Russian agents on the continent, exposing the rosy promises made to African job hunters and the reality of forced military service and bloody frontline fighting that many instead find. CNN reviewed hundreds of chats on messaging apps, military contracts, visas, flights and hotel bookings, as well as gathering first-hand accounts from African fighters in Ukraine, to understand just how Russia entices African men to bolster its ranks.

helinues:
Shouldn't Russia be questioned for this.

They recruited people from across the globe to fight in Ukraine.

I actually talked about it at the early stage of the war but those who carried the war for head like gala just made me lose interest in the discussion. That's why the Russians are supporting the war as their loved ones in the military are not involved in the war. That analysis should be over 2 years.

My sources for information are telepathic.

Sonnobax15:
who wan question Russia? . Is it our African leaders who are assssslicking their buttts that you want to,when it's obvious they have got no such ballss on them.

The truth is that these our African brothers obviously knew what they were signing into,but you and I know that once Japa is mentioned,the way our erection take dey stand fit tear trousers.

helinues:
Such tactics is actually wrong. They misled African youths

Your second paragraph, No, they did not know. They offered them security job, nanny, store attendance. It's the Chinese who are doing the recruitment on behalf of others. They are mostly based in Dubai.

Sonnobax15:
okay now I understand better.

helinues:
Imagine a firm based in Dubai contacted you with a job offer, well paid . They wouldn't even mind to sponsor your visa and documents processing. When you get to Dubai, that's when they will tell you that they have companies in countries like Russia. It will be very hard to suspect such kind of a thing

kimjongJezebel:
CNN una no dey tire with propaganda?

ogaemma:
This is not the best time to go to Russia.
Do not listen to any travel Agent who comes with beautiful offers to Russia.
Right now Russia is the cheapest European country to travel to.
Is all gimmicks.
Do not fall for the trap.

BangaRice:
propaganda?

Mrchippychappy:
All those Anti-Trump, Anti-israel over night communists and pro-Russian Palestinian activists on Nairaland, how market?

Sonnobax15:
who wan question Russia? . Is it our African leaders who are assssslicking their buttts that you want to,when it's obvious they have got no such ballss on them.

The truth is that these our African brothers obviously knew what they were signing into,but you and I know that once Japa is mentioned,the way our erection take dey stand fit tear trousers.

Leepeak:
Propaganda cia handwork Russian is winning the war, Ukraine if almost finished, Americans are know to win war online, Peter obi