A Nigerian national, Kehinde Oluwagbemileke, has been captured by Ukraine-aligned forces while fighting for the Russian military in the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Oluwagbemileke, 29, was reportedly seized in the Zaporizhzhia region by the Freedom of Russia Legion, a group composed of Russian fighters who oppose President Vladimir Putin and support Ukraine’s cause.
According to Ukraine’s “I Want to Live” project—a government initiative that assists Russian soldiers and foreign mercenaries seeking to surrender—Oluwagbemileke had lived in Russia for four years prior to joining the war effort. He was allegedly involved in drug-related offences and faced prosecution under Article 228 of the Russian Criminal Code.
Rather than serve a prison sentence, the report said, he accepted a deal to join Russia’s so-called “special military operation” in Ukraine in exchange for leniency. He spent five months on the battlefield before being captured.
“Kehinde is one of thousands of mercenaries from third countries recruited by Russia’s Defence Ministry to fight in Ukraine,” the group stated. “Many of these foreign fighters are misled about the true nature of the war and the risks involved. They are often treated as expendable manpower.”
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also weighed in, issuing a strong warning to foreign nationals considering joining Russian forces. “We urge all foreigners to avoid enlisting in the Russian occupation army under any circumstances,” a ministry spokesperson said. “Instead, they are encouraged to contact the ‘I Want to Live’ project if they find themselves conscripted or coerced.”
Oluwagbemileke’s case highlights the growing trend of foreign nationals being recruited into Russia’s military, often through coercion or in exchange for reduced sentences. Many find themselves disillusioned and abandoned once on the frontlines.
Earlier this year, two Chinese nationals captured by Ukrainian forces shared similar accounts, revealing that they had been deceived into enlisting and later regretted their involvement.
The Ukrainian government has called on foreign governments to take action against the recruitment of their citizens by the Russian military and to raise awareness about the dangers of involvement in the conflict.
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