Uganda’s embassy in Moscow has reported that 27 Ugandans recruited into Russia’s military to fight in Ukraine have been killed or are presumed dead, including 11 whose deaths have been confirmed and 16 who remain missing.
The figures are contained in a diplomatic letter dated October 17 from the embassy to Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The letter says the bodies of the 16 missing men have not been located and that they have not been identified among prisoners of war.
A Ugandan Foreign Ministry official confirmed the authenticity of the letter, according to published reports.
The document does not establish when the men died or disappeared, or whether they were recruited voluntarily or misled about the nature of their military service.
Embassy seeks answers over missing Ugandans
The embassy’s inquiry followed appeals from families seeking information about relatives believed to have joined the Russian military.
Uganda’s ambassador to Russia, Moses Kizige, outlined the findings in the October 17 communication to the Foreign Ministry and urged officials to inform the families of those confirmed dead.
The embassy has been working to identify Ugandans believed to be serving in Russia, using passport details supplied by relatives and checking them against Uganda’s citizenship and immigration records before approaching Russian authorities, according to Ugandan media reports.
For families of the missing men, the lack of recovered bodies or official confirmation of their whereabouts leaves their fate unresolved. The available information does not establish whether they were killed, captured or remain alive.
The diplomatic communication also indicated that five Ugandans were still serving in the Russian military and were expected to be discharged when their contracts expired, according to Ugandan media reports.
African recruitment into Russia’s military
The reported deaths add to concerns across Africa about nationals who have joined Russian forces during the war against Ukraine.
Kenya, Ghana and South Africa have also faced scrutiny over reports of their citizens being recruited into Russia’s military.
In some reported cases, African nationals have travelled to Russia after receiving offers of civilian employment before finding themselves in military service. Ukrainian officials have alleged that some foreign recruits were deceived about the work they would be required to perform.
However, the Ugandan embassy’s letter does not establish whether any of the 27 Ugandans were misled or coerced into joining the Russian military.
Ukraine has previously reported that thousands of foreign nationals, including Africans, were serving alongside Russian forces. Such figures are estimates attributed to Ukrainian officials and should not be treated as independently verified totals.
Russian authorities have denied illegally recruiting African citizens to fight in Ukraine.
The cases have raised questions about recruitment practices, the terms of military contracts and the risks faced by foreign nationals deployed to the front lines.
Families await confirmation
The embassy’s disclosure places renewed focus on Uganda’s efforts to trace citizens believed to be serving in Russia’s armed forces.
For families, the immediate priority is obtaining official information about their relatives’ whereabouts and military status, as well as confirmation of deaths where applicable.
The distinction between the two groups remains important: 11 deaths have been confirmed, while the other 16 men remain missing and are presumed dead, according to the diplomatic communication.
The letter does not provide further details about the circumstances of the reported deaths or the process for recovering the remains of those killed.
The cases highlight the human cost of Russia’s war against Ukraine for families far beyond the countries directly involved in the conflict.
