It’s a chilling story. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, hundreds of young Africans have found themselves trapped in a war that is not theirs. Some went there voluntarily, others were forced. But they all have one thing in common: they have been lied to. RFI produced an edifying report on these fighters.
Samuel is one of them. He is a young Cameroonian who studied science. In May 2024, he was made an offer that seemed brilliant: a job in Russia, well paid, as a janitor or cook. The offer comes from an agency in Yaoundé which deals with visas for Russia. “My mother and I raised 2.5 million CFA francs. I didn’t know that I was heading towards death,” Samuel confides to RFI. When he arrives in Russia, everything changes. His passport is taken from him and he is given a gun instead of a broom. He finds himself sent to eastern Ukraine, and there he understands that he has been had.
On the front, it’s always the same thing. The Africans are sent ahead, while the Russians remain in camp with their good equipment. “ We are used as bait, as human shields“, explains Samuel. “We have to move forward to clear mines or occupy the land, often without good equipment. » What if someone refuses to fight? He is tortured or put in prison.
Africans used as shields
The losses are terrible. Of the five Cameroonians who left with Samuel, three died. Among them, his friend Patrice, who had four children. The Ukrainians mainly use drones and mines, which makes things even more dangerous for these poorly prepared soldiers.
Recruiters know what they are doing. Often linked to shady agencies or the Wagner group, they attract young people with great promises: big salaries, bonuses, and even Russian nationality for the whole family. But once there, all that evaporates.
-« The contracts are bogus. We don’t even have a copy, and the money we were promised, it’s our bosses who take it“, said Samuel. The worst thing is that some African countries, like Cameroon, pretend not to see anything when their citizens ask for help. Other countries, like India, have at least made an effort to bring back their citizens.
And it’s not just in Cameroon. Similar recruitments take place in Somalia, Burundi, Uganda, Rwanda… They are promised a $2,000 bonus and $2,200 per month. In countries where money is scarce, it’s hard to resist these promises.
In the Central African Republic, it’s even crazier: prisoners were released on the condition that they go and fight with Wagner. There was even forced recruitment in police stations, even if the government says this is false.
Hundreds of deaths
Life on the front is horrible. Samuel says: “ I’ve never seen a real Ukrainian, just their drones and mines. » In Donbass, he saw hundreds of bodies abandoned on the battlefield. He had to walk over corpses to move forward. Once he even hid among the dead to escape bombs.
Despite the danger he takes in speaking, Samuel wants his story to be known: “ Africans must stop coming to die here. We are being lied to. I’m telling all this to make it stop. »
What is happening is serious. This is practically human trafficking. And while thousands of young Africans are being killed, governments and international organizations are doing almost nothing. A few people have been repatriated through diplomatic efforts, but there are still so many trapped there. It is urgent that this change.
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