Ghana says at least 55 of its people killed after Russia 'lured' them to fight Ukraine
Source: The Guardian and agencies
Ghana says at least 55 of its people killed after Russia ‘lured’ them to fight Ukraine
Foreign minister says 272 Ghanaians are thought to have been drawn into battle since 2022, after he visited Kyiv
Guardian staff and agencies in Accra
Fri 27 Feb 2026 16.42 GMT
Last modified on Fri 27 Feb 2026 17.13 GMT
At least 55 Ghanaians have been killed in Russia’s war with Ukraine after being “lured into battle”, Ghana’s foreign minister has said after a visit to Kyiv in which officials raised the issue of Russian recruitment of African people.
Reports of African men being attracted to Russia by promises of jobs and ending up on Ukraine’s frontlines have become more frequent in recent months, creating tensions between Moscow and some of the countries involved.
Russian authorities have denied illegally recruiting African citizens to fight in Ukraine. The foreign minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said in a post on X on Thursday: “We were informed that 272 Ghanaians are believed to have been lured into battle since 2022 for which an estimated 55 have been killed and 2 captured as prisoners of war.”
At a media briefing on Tuesday, Andrii Sybiha, the Ukrainian foreign minister, who was standing alongside Ablakwa, said more than 1,780 Africans from 36 different countries were fighting in the Russian army.
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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/27/ghana-men-killed-fight-russia-ukraine