The Russian government has denied allegations that it recruited Nigerians to fight in its ongoing war against Ukraine, insisting that there is no state-backed programme to enlist foreign fighters from Nigeria.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, escalating the conflict widely described as the biggest war in Europe since World War II.
The denial followed a report earlier which alleged that four Nigerians, Adam Anas, Akinlawon Tunde Quyuum, Abugu Stanley Onyeka and Balogun Ridwan Adisa, were killed on the Ukrainian frontlines.
According to the report, the Nigerians were allegedly recruited under the guise of securing “security jobs” but were later conscripted into the Russian military after undergoing about three weeks of training.
It was reported that the four Nigerians died on different dates between December 2025 and January 2026.
The report further claimed that news of their deaths first emerged from a secret WhatsApp group reportedly created by African mercenaries fighting in the conflict.
It alleged that the Russian Embassy in Abuja issued the Nigerians single-entry tourist visas without biometric capture or full compliance with visa requirements.
The recruits were also said to have been promised a monthly salary of 200,000 roubles, estimated at about ₦3.6 million, alongside allowances and other benefits.
However, upon arrival in Russia, the Nigerians were allegedly forced into military service, given minimal training and deployed to the frontline. They were reportedly compelled to sign military contracts written in Russian, without legal representation or translation.
Some of the alleged recruits also claimed their passports were confiscated, making escape impossible.
Russia Reacts To Allegations. Responding to the allegations, the Russian Ambassador to Nigeria, Andrey Podyolyshev, denied any government involvement in recruiting Nigerians for the war.
“There is no government-supported programme to recruit Nigerians to fight in Ukraine. If there are illegal organisations or individuals trying to recruit Nigerians by unlawful means, this is not connected with the Russian state,” he said on Tuesday in Abuja.
Podyolyshev added that the Russian government was willing to investigate any credible information on the matter.
“If anybody has this information, we are ready to send it to Russian law enforcement authorities so they can investigate those cases,” he said.
‘Western Media Trying To Demonise Russia’ The ambassador also reacted to reports by Western media alleging that Nigerians were deceived into joining the conflict.
“You are receiving information from Western sources. Their main task is to demonise Russia. If you want to know the real situation, you should send journalists to Russia to understand what is really happening,” he said.
While acknowledging that some Nigerians might be present in the conflict zone, Podyolyshev maintained that there was no official Russian policy backing their involvement.
“There are such Nigerians, I know, but there is no government-supported programme to recruit them. If there are agencies, including Russian agencies, violating Russian law, we are ready to transmit this information to our law enforcement authorities,” he added.
Beyond the controversy, the ambassador called for stronger economic relations between Nigeria and Russia, noting that the last meeting of the Russia–Nigeria Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation was held about a decade ago.
He also highlighted Nigeria’s leadership role within ECOWAS and the African Union, referencing the country’s peacekeeping efforts in Liberia, Sierra Leone and The Gambia.
“Nigeria showed readiness to take responsibility for regional stability. Within ECOWAS, Nigeria is the core of the organisation in terms of population, economy and military potential,” he said.
In the energy sector, Podyolyshev disclosed that both countries were working on long-term initiatives, including cooperation in nuclear energy.