Through a shadowy network of online recruiters, Russia has quietly assembled a pipeline funneling thousands of Africans from nearly every country on the continent into the front lines and factories supporting Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine. These were not the destinations the young Africans thought they had signed up for. Many were looking for jobs, training, or opportunities abroad. Drawn by promises of life-changing salaries, they instead found themselves trapped in a war far from their home countries.
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Ukrainian officials estimate that nearly 30,000 foreign nationals are currently fighting for Russia. With the full extent of these deceptive recruitment networks still unknown, African governments and families of victims are demanding more expansive investigations, an immediate end to these schemes, and accountability for those responsible. Following is a synthesis of what has been uncovered thus far.
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