Thousands of young African men have been recruited to fight in Russia's war against Ukraine, with many saying they were deceived into military contracts after arriving for promised work. Family members of the missing protested in Nairobi, Kenya, in March, demanding answers about their loved ones. Russia has never acknowledged actively recruiting from the continent.

Russia's need stems from staggering casualties—around 1.2 million soldiers killed, wounded or missing since the full-scale invasion, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Africa offers a vast pool of young workers from nations with few job opportunities. The continent has the world's fastest-growing youth population, but most adults under 35 work in the informal sector with low pay and no benefits.

Recruits can earn wages many times what they'd receive at home, but the reality differs sharply from promises. Survivors report being forced to sign Russian-language contracts they couldn't read, then denied access to their supposed salaries. Some returned empty-handed; others never came back. Kenya's government has secured an agreement from Moscow not to enlist Kenyans, while South Africa, Nigeria and Ghana have also warned citizens about recruitment scams.