Two Nigerians confirmed dead as report alleges Russia’s recruitment of Africans to fight in Ukraine
Ukraine has identified two Nigerian nationals among those killed while allegedly fighting on the side of Russian forces in the ongoing war, according to a statement released by the country’s defence intelligence agency.
The bodies were reportedly discovered in the Luhansk region. Ukrainian authorities named the deceased as Hamzat Kazeen Kolawole, 42, and Mbah Stephen Udoka, 38.
In its statement on Thursday, Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence said both men had signed contracts with the Russian military in the latter half of 2025. Kolawole was said to have enlisted on August 29, while Udoka reportedly signed his contract on September 28.
The agency claimed that Udoka received no formal military training before being deployed. He was allegedly posted to a unit and sent to territories described by Ukraine as temporarily occupied, just five days after signing his contract on October 3.
While no official training records were found for Kolawole, Ukrainian authorities said it was “highly likely” he also received little or no military preparation before deployment. The statement added that Kolawole is survived by his wife and three children in Nigeria.
According to the Ukrainian intelligence report, both men were killed in late November during a drone strike as they attempted to assault Ukrainian positions in the Luhansk area.
The agency warned foreign nationals against travelling to Russia for employment, alleging that some individuals risk being coerced into military service and deployed to frontline combat roles.
The development follows a recent CNN investigation alleging that several Africans, including citizens of Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda, are being recruited to Russia with promises of civilian jobs such as drivers or security guards, only to be redirected into military service with minimal training.
However, Russia’s ambassador to Nigeria, Andrey Podyelyshev, has rejected the allegations. Speaking earlier this week, he dismissed claims of organised recruitment of African nationals into the Russian military and denied any involvement by the Kremlin in such activities
