Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has revealed disturbing figures showing that hundreds of Ghanaians were allegedly recruited to fight for Russia in its continuing war against Ukraine.
According to information provided by Ukrainian authorities during high-level talks in Kyiv, an estimated 272 Ghanaians have been drawn into the conflict since 2022, with at least 55 reportedly killed on the battlefield. Two other Ghanaian nationals are being held in Ukraine as prisoners of war.
Ablakwa described the development as heartbreaking, stressing that the victims should not be reduced to mere statistics. Behind every reported death, he said, is a Ghanaian family left grieving and a future suddenly destroyed.
Ukrainian intelligence reportedly indicated that the recruitment increased sharply over the years. Seventeen Ghanaians were said to have joined in 2023, followed by 53 in 2024 and another 202 in 2025. The figures were presented to a Ghanaian delegation during Ablakwa’s diplomatic visit to Ukraine.
Many of the recruits were allegedly targeted through transnational trafficking networks and misleading offers promising employment, training or attractive financial rewards. Some reportedly travelled believing they were pursuing legitimate opportunities, only to find themselves pushed into military service and exposed to the dangers of frontline combat.
The two captured Ghanaians were granted consular access during the minister’s visit. They reportedly warned other young people against accepting suspicious offers connected to Russia, describing the risks associated with the battlefield as severe.
Ablakwa declared that the Russia-Ukraine conflict is not Ghana’s war and insisted that Ghanaian youth must not be treated as human shields in a foreign confrontation. He announced plans to intensify public education and dismantle illegal recruitment operations, including networks allegedly operating through hidden online platforms.
Ukrainian officials also claimed that more than 1,780 Africans from 36 countries had been recruited to support Russian forces. Ghana’s reported number would represent a significant proportion of that total.
The casualty and recruitment figures were supplied by Ukrainian authorities and have not been independently verified here. Nevertheless, the disclosure has placed urgent attention on deceptive foreign recruitment and the vulnerability of young Africans searching for economic opportunities.
