Russia Sending Nigerians, Other African Students To War Front To Get Visa Renewed -Report Reveals

Russia is reportedly compelling thousands of migrants and foreign students to fight alongside its troops in the war against Ukraine in exchange for visa renewals, according to Bloomberg.

European officials claim that the Kremlin is employing tactics similar to those first used by the Wagner mercenary group to bolster its military ranks. Specifically, Russia has been threatening to deny visa extensions to African students and young workers unless they agree to enlist, sources familiar with the situation stated.

Additionally, Moscow has been recruiting convicts from its prisons. Some African workers in Russia have been detained and forced to choose between deportation and military service. Some have managed to bribe officials to stay in the country without joining the military, according to an anonymous European official.

A spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry did not respond to requests for comment.

Reports indicate that Russia has undertaken a global recruitment campaign to enlist foreign mercenaries from at least 21 countries, including several African nations. The campaigns offer lucrative signing bonuses and salaries for those willing to serve as contract soldiers. Recruiters have also targeted migrants and students seeking employment in Russia, sometimes luring them with promises of lucrative work before forcing them into military training and deployment.

Russia’s ability to mobilize large numbers of troops could become a critical factor in the war as President Vladimir Putin aims to leverage a shift in momentum this year. However, Russian forces have made slow progress in northeastern Ukraine and have suffered heavy losses, despite a shortage of troops and ammunition on the Ukrainian side.

According to the UK Ministry of Defence, the Russian military lost more than 1,200 personnel daily in May, marking its highest casualty rate of the war. Since the invasion began, Russia has seen an estimated 500,000 personnel killed or wounded. These figures have not been independently verified by Bloomberg.

During a meeting with foreign media in St. Petersburg, Putin implied that about 10,000 Russian troops are killed or wounded each month, claiming that Ukrainian losses are five times higher. While the Kremlin has not achieved a significant breakthrough on the battlefield, it has intensified its bombing campaign against Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city. Western officials believe these attacks aim to make the city uninhabitable.

Despite public support challenges, Putin has resisted a full-scale mobilization and has instead relied on voluntary recruitment drives, which have attracted tens of thousands of individuals.

Earlier this year, the government in Kathmandu acknowledged that around 400 young Nepali men had been recruited by Russia, with many more likely signing up without official knowledge. India’s decision to stop recruiting Nepalese Gurkhas for its army may have driven some Nepalis to seek opportunities in Russia.

A senior Ukrainian official reported an increase in the number of foreign fighters among captured prisoners on the battlefield, with Africans and Nepalis being particularly common. Some of Ukraine’s allies are considering sharing this information with the affected countries.

The Group of Seven nations, who will hold a leaders’ summit in Italy next week, have been trying to persuade countries from the Global South to support Ukraine more actively. However, many of these nations have remained neutral, while their populations have been targeted by Moscow’s disinformation efforts.

Last year, Reuters reported that the Wagner mercenary group had recruited several African citizens as part of its efforts to enlist convicts from Russian prisons for the war in Ukraine. The news agency documented the cases of three men from Tanzania, Zambia, and the Ivory Coast.

Yevgeny Primakov, head of Rossotrudnichestvo, an organization focused on promoting Russian knowledge abroad, stated that there are currently 35,000-37,000 African students in Russia. He noted, “Every year we sign up about 6,500 students from Africa to study in Russia for free,” during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.