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    ‘You escape, or you die’: African men say Russia duped them into fighting in Ukraine
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    ‘You escape, or you die’: African men say Russia duped them into fighting in Ukraine


    ‘You escape, or you die’: African men say Russia duped them into fighting in Ukraine

    https://edition.cnn.com/2026/02/04/africa/russia-african-recruits-military-ukraine-intl-cmd

    Posted by BkkGrl

    View 25 Comments

    25 Comments

    2. Happy_Feet333 on

      I just don’t understand how they could be “duped”.

      Is the war between Russia and Ukraine some sort of hidden secret in African countries?

      Or do people in Africa actually think Russia is a trustworthy country?

    3. Uncertain_Hand on

      Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. Russia is a racist, xenophobic cesspool and that is not news for anyone who has been paying attention.

    4. DefInnit on

      Don’t go to Russia for a “job”. At least as long as there’s a war, *don’t trust* “recruiters” there, don’t even consider it as an option. The End.

    5. inokentii on

      Unbelievable how after hundreds years of dying for glory of oversea empires Africans voluntarily going to die for glory of oversea empire

    7. Hot-Operation-8208 on

      Did they seriously think they’re going to be the exception when all young men in Russia are being drafted?

    8. Foreign-Collar8845 on

      If I was Putin I would have tapped into the ex Afghan special forces soldiers which US decided to dump into Democratic Republic of Congo. Surely Ukraine can do the same.

    9. RustyPlastics on

      Always the poor Africans who are apparently dubbed into becoming soldiers in the Russian army while not having any access to the internet where they could find information on what is really happening…

      The same internet they use to find apparently “jobs” in Russia, to book plane tickets and to send their documents to for a visa.

    10. Any-Original-6113 on

      They should go over to the Ukrainians and get back at the liars. 

      This sub has had articles about the many Colombian volunteers fighting for Ukraine- and they’re all quite satisfied. 

      There are probably volunteer units from Africa too

    12. Disastrous_War_3498 on

      Probably fell for ads where russian women are just waiting for africans and indians to marry. I saw few ads like this seriously xD also they promise russian citizenship for fighting in war.

      I don’t feel sorry for them.

    13. Reddit_sucks_3000 on

      Desperate people without options are good targets for exploitation the world over. This falls into the same slot as girls/women told they are applying as house keepers or baby sitters and being abused or straight up sold. Men usually either get told they are going to work for a farm or in construction and end up endentured for years at best, and now cannon fodder at worst.

      There is a reason people have known about this type of thing for decades and still try, and its not greed or stupidity.

      “Some people have been waiting so long for their ship to come in, they fail to realize when a ship finally arrives its a pirate ship, piloted by a real cutthroat captain”.

    14. JtheLeon on

      Yeah, because the prospect of raping Ukrainian women without any kind of punishment is not good enough to enlist knowing the shenanigans of the Russian government.

      Edit: my original comment is a salad word as I was in a meeting at work while trying it. I meant to say that many guys will just go to Russia and fight the war, just because of the off-chance of what i stated. And it sucks. The other who go to a country at war in search of a job are really naive.

    17. Oshtoru on

      My unpopular opinion is that Ukraine should also contract foreign fighters like this.

    19. Free-Way-9220 on

      >Most said they were promised a signing bonus of $13,000, monthly salaries as high as $3,500, and Russian citizenship at the end of their service.

      They are mercenaries who know very well what they are going to Russia for. Their stories are a cover for when they return home, since being a merc is illegal and will get them thrown in jail

    23. Imaginary_Strain486 on

      Not shedding any tears for them . If you are dumb enough to believe in the Russians

    24. hypercomms2001 on

      Russia should be using instead more North Korean troops, because having them killed by the Ukrainians Is a service to humanity…