By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Zimbabwe says no fewer than 15 of its citizens have been killed while fighting for Russia in its ongoing war with Ukraine, with over 60 others still trapped on the frontlines.
“It is a sophisticated scheme of deception, exploitation, and human trafficking that has already resulted in the loss of Zimbabwean lives,” the Information Minister Zhemu Soda said.
He alleged that Zimbabweans had been lured by shadowy agencies with a promise of lucrative jobs abroad, using “social media platforms as their primary hunting ground”.
Meanwhile, the Southern African nation says it has has opened talks with the Russian authorities to ensure that bodies of those killed are returned for proper burial, and those still alive return home safely.
This is the first time Zimbabwe is publicly acknowledging that dozens of its nationals are fighting for Russia in the war that has entered its fifth year.
The Minister warned Zimbabweans to exercise caution regarding overseas job with lucrative conditions, urging them to verify opportunities through official channels.
He warned that the trafficking networks posing as recruiters often disappear once a recruit is injured, captured, or killed, leaving relatives with no financial support or information.
Zimbabwe is not the only African country where nationals have been recruited with promise of lucrative jobs but ended up in war fronts. In Kenya, Ghana and South Africa, nationals have also been enticed to join the war.
A Ukrainian intelligence assessment has estimated that more than 1,700 people from 36 countries in Africa have been recruited to fight for Russia.
Kenya estimates that 252 citizens have been illegally conscripted in Russia.
Heritage Times HT reports that last week, Kenya’s Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi visited Moscow to address ways Kenya will be removed from recruitment zone for combatants.
