55 Ghanaians killed in Russia-Ukraine war

Fifty-five Ghanaians recruited into the Russian army for its war in Ukraine have been killed in action, according to Ukrainian officials.

The Secretary of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War of Ukraine, Brigadier General Dmytro Usov, told a Ghanaian delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, in Kiev, Ukraine last Wednesday (February 25, 2026), that a total of 272 Ghanaians have been recruited into the Russian army over the past three years.

He indicated that in 2023, 17 Ghanaians were recruited and trained by Russia, while another 53 were recruited in 2024. Recruitment, however, surged last year by over 300 per cent, with 202 Ghanaian men enlisted to fight alongside Russia against Ukraine in the ongoing conflict.

Africa’s involvement

According to Brigadier General Usov, Africa has contributed 1,785 young men as recruits for Russia in the war against Ukraine. This means Ghana has allegedly contributed 16 per cent of all African recruits.

He noted that recruits came from 36 African countries, including “Ghana, Nigeria, Egypt, Morocco, Uganda, Burundi, Togo, Algeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Libya, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Somalia, Senegal, Benin, Cameroon, and Kenya.”

Meanwhile, captives from 45 countries worldwide are being held in a fortified camp in Ukraine as prisoners of war, including two Ghanaians. The nationalities with the largest number of captives include “Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Egypt.”

Globally, Russia has recruited over 24,098 foreigners from 135 countries and unrecognised territories since the war began. Brigadier General Usov added that intelligence suggests Russia plans to recruit 18,500 more foreigners, including Africans, this year.

He further stated that at least 3,388 foreign recruits have been killed in action since the war began four years ago, with 42 per cent of new recruits dying within the first four months of service. He added that, while 3,080 recruits have completed their contracts with the Russian army, they are yet to be released.

Ghana’s response

In his discussions with Ukrainian officials, Minister Ablakwa assured that the Ghanaian government is committed to curtailing the illegal trafficking of young Ghanaians lured into the war.

He said the government has commenced, and will intensify, awareness and public education programmes to protect vulnerable youth from predatory agents recruiting them into the conflict.

“The Mahama Administration is committed to tracking and dismantling all dark web illegal recruitment schemes operating within our jurisdiction. This is not our war and we cannot allow our youth to become human shields for others,” he said.

The minister described the recruitment of African youth for the war as an “African Crisis” that must be tackled to prevent the continent from being drawn further into the conflict.

He stressed that he would mobilise fellow foreign ministers to address the challenge and assured that President John Mahama would raise the issue with other Heads of State and Governments, particularly when he assumes the African Union Chairmanship next year.