Young Africans Are Being Lured Into Russia’s War Machine |
Understanding the conflict three years on.
Welcome to Foreign Policy’s Africa Brief.
The highlights this week: Hundreds of Africans are reportedly tricked into joining Russian forces in Ukraine, Nigeria hires a U.S. lobbying firm to shore up its reputation, and Uganda’s opposition leader rejects the results of last week’s general elections.
Welcome to Foreign Policy’s Africa Brief.
The highlights this week: Hundreds of Africans are reportedly tricked into joining Russian forces in Ukraine, Nigeria hires a U.S. lobbying firm to shore up its reputation, and Uganda’s opposition leader rejects the results of last week’s general elections.
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Recent weeks have shed a spotlight on the estimated hundreds of Africans with no military background who have been lured to Russia under false job promises and subsequently sent to the front line in Ukraine after receiving only a few days of basic training. Some are even reportedly being forced to become suicide bombers to target Ukrainian positions.
Last week, a video circulated online that showed a young African soldier, who identified himself as Francis, with an explosive strapped to his chest—thought to be a TM-62 anti-tank mine. He appeared to be forced at gunpoint to run toward a Ukrainian bunker.
In the video, a man speaking Russian uses racial slurs and tells a terrified Francis, “What the fuck are you scared of? Don’t shit yourself.” Francis can be heard shouting, “No, no, no.”
Reports of this kind are not unusual, Kateryna Stepanenko, a Russia research fellow at the Institute for the Study of War, told Foreign Policy. “We have seen numerous reports of misuse and mistreatment of foreign recruits,” she said.
“Most of the time, we do see Russians use foreigners in these frontal assaults … so more experienced [Russian] troops can step in and advance further,” Stepanenko added. “In the past, the Russians relied on prisoners to do this job.”
Stepanenko also noted that there are “racist” and “xenophobic” undertones to Russian troops’ treatment of the recruits.
Another video that went viral last week showed young African men in combat fatigues singing in the snow. A man behind the camera appeared to laugh at the troops, saying in Russian, “Look how many disposable ones there are here.”
Ukraine has estimated that more than 1,400 people from 36 African nations are fighting for Russia.........