Zimbabwe said Wednesday that 15 of its citizens have been killed while fighting for Russia in Ukraine, as reports mount of African recruits dying on the front lines.
Information Minister Zhemu Soda told a press conference the victims had been misled into enlisting, describing the process as a form of human trafficking. He said recruiters were targeting Zimbabweans through social media with false promises of employment.
An official at Russia’s embassy in Harare declined to comment on the claims.
The case adds to a growing number of reports from across Africa of men being lured to Russia for work, only to be deployed to fight in Ukraine. The issue has sparked public anger in several countries, including Kenya, Ghana and South Africa.
Zimbabwean authorities said 16 other nationals had returned from the conflict and were currently receiving medical treatment.
Governments across Africa have faced pressure from families to secure the return of their citizens, but many have taken a cautious approach, wary of straining diplomatic ties with Moscow.
Kenya has previously said more than 1,000 of its citizens were recruited to fight for Russia. Earlier this month, Nairobi said it had reached an agreement with Moscow to halt further recruitment of Kenyans.
Russia has denied accusations that it is illegally recruiting African citizens to fight in Ukraine.