Ghanaian recruits trapped in Ukraine plea for rescue

Fourteen residents of Ghana, enticed by the vision of well-paid work in Russia, found themselves on the front line of the war in Ukraine instead of the promised jobs in the security and agriculture sectors. "We beg you, save us," says one of the men.

Recruitment began in Ghana, where Abraham Boakye, known as One Man Supporter, invited 14 people to Russia, promising them stable employment. The work was supposed to be well-paid, with positions in the security services or agriculture offered depending on qualifications. Boakye assured them that only a short military training in the Russian army was necessary before starting work.

On August 6, the group of men arrived in Moscow, from where they were transported to Kostroma, a city located northeast of Russia's capital. They all covered the costs of the flight tickets and visas out of their own pockets, counting on the promised employment.

Upon arrival in Kostroma, they were forced to sign contracts in Russian, a language none of them knew. To make matters worse, their passports were taken away, effectively preventing them from returning home.

In recent days, three surviving members of the group, who contacted TV3, revealed that they are currently in the Russian-occupied Donetsk region. They expressed their fears that their colleagues had been sent to the front and are most likely dead. One of the men confessed:

We are currently in Ukraine... we have no combat experience. We beg, we want to go home.

The families of the men, worried about the fate of their loved ones, have reached out to Ghana’s police headquarters for help, hoping for support and intervention in this matter.

Similar cases where foreigners were lured into service in the Russian army have also been reported in other countries such as India, Egypt, Nepal, and Cuba. Russia, avoiding internal mobilization, seeks foreign recruits, filling its army ranks with migrants and students from other countries.

Bloomberg reported in June that African students and migrants are being forced to fight in Ukraine, under the threat of losing their visas if they do not agree to join the Russian army.

In early September, Indian media reported on the release of 45 Indians who had been drawn into the Russian ranks. Only after the intervention of the Indian government were they freed, which may be a beacon of hope for the Ghanaians and their families, who are now awaiting swift action in this dramatic matter.