Ugandan man warns others after escaping forced recruitment into Russia-Ukraine war

A Ugandan man who narrowly escaped forced recruitment into the Russian military has shared a chilling account of how job promises dragged him into the Russia-Ukraine war.

Security experts say his story reflects a wider trend of Africans being deceived into fighting in a foreign war.

Richard Akantorana, 43, is a Ugandan father of two. He says recruiters promised him well-paying civilian work in Russia. Instead, armed men forced him to join the Russian army.

“I am a Ugandan. I have a wife and two daughters,” Akantorana said in a recorded statement.

Back home, he survived on casual jobs. He cleaned supermarkets and rode boda boda. He earned about Shs50,000 a month. Life was hard.

A recruiter later approached him with offers of work as a supermarket attendant, factory worker or airport security guard in Russia. Hoping to help his family, Akantorana took a loan from his savings group to travel.

“I never knew I was going to the army,” he said. “I thought I was going to work in a supermarket.”

The truth emerged after he arrived in Russia.

“They told us, ‘Sorry guys, you are joining the Russian military,’” he said. “We refused. A man then pointed a gun at us and forced us to sign papers.”

The group was driven to a forest and locked in what they were told was an underground military base. Conditions were harsh.

“It was dark. Bed bugs were everywhere. We slept on the ground. They gave us only biscuits and water,” he said.

Fearing deployment to the battlefield, Akantorana escaped at night. He ran until he met armed soldiers.

“I shouted, ‘Help me, I am innocent,’” he said. “They told me to stop. Then they said I was safe. They were the Ukrainian army.”

Reports say Ukrainian soldiers from the 63rd Mechanised Brigade intercepted him near Lyman in the Donetsk region.

Now safe, Akantorana has a clear warning for fellow Africans.

“Do not be deceived by jobs in Russia,” he said. “It is a lie. You will end up in the army. Imagine dying in a war that is not yours. It is better to stay in Africa with your children.”

His account comes as videos circulate online showing African fighters believed to be Ugandans on a winter battlefield in eastern Ukraine. The men sing Ugandan military songs linked to the NRA bush war of the 1980–86 period.

In one clip, a fighter shouts “Kaweddemu”, a Luganda phrase meaning the matter is finished.

The footage has raised questions about how the fighters were recruited and whether Ugandan authorities know about their presence.

Akantorana’s testimony also follows a major security operation in 2025. Ugandan authorities intercepted nine men at Entebbe International Airport.

Police said the men were travelling to Moscow under the cover of high-paying security jobs. Intelligence later showed the route was a transit point to the Ukrainian battlefield.

“These individuals were not going for civilian work,” a senior officer said. “They were being recruited to fight.”

Investigators linked the operation to a company identified as MAGNIT. Police described it as labour exploitation and human trafficking.

The recruits, many with Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces backgrounds or experience in Iraq and Afghanistan, were promised salaries of up to USD 6,250 per month.

Authorities said forged documents helped move the recruits. These included medical records, CVs and certificates of good conduct.

The war between Russia and Ukraine, now in its fourth year since February 2022, has killed or injured more than one million people, according to various estimates.

Police continue to warn Ugandans against joining foreign wars without state approval.

“This is not employment,” a senior officer said. “It is mercenary activity disguised as opportunity.”

For Akantorana, the message is simple.

“Do not come,” he said. “Do not be deceived.”