Russia’s Recruitment Scam: Tricking People from Africa and Beyond into War

European Parliament resolution – 12 March 2026 (2026/2641(RSP))

The Parliament says that Russia is using false promises and coercion to recruit thousands of people from Africa, Cuba and South‑Central Asia to fight in its war against Ukraine.

• Recruitment tactics: Social‑media ads promise jobs, education or citizenship. Victims are taken to Russia, lose their passports and are forced into the army or war‑related work.
• Targeted groups: Low‑income areas in Africa are hit hardest. Hundreds of African women are being forced to work in dangerous drone‑assembly factories.
• Treatment of recruits: African soldiers are sent to the most dangerous front lines, treated as expendable and subjected to racial abuse.
• Case in point: Kenyan Francis Ndung’u Ndarua was fraudulently recruited and sent to the front, showing the cruelty of the system.

Key demands

1. Condemnation: The Parliament strongly condemns this trafficking and forced recruitment as serious human‑rights violations and possible war crimes.
2. Action: All states must investigate, hold those who run or support the schemes accountable, warn citizens about fake offers, and help return victims immediately.
3. Social media: Platforms must cooperate with authorities to remove recruitment ads and be held responsible.
4. Russia’s role: Russia must stop these practices, return all victims, and inform families of their status.
5. EU support: The EU and its member states should help affected countries fight trafficking, release victims, and impose targeted sanctions on those involved.
6. Communication: The resolution will be sent to the Council, Commission, the EU’s Vice‑President for Human Rights, member states, the African Union, the UN General Assembly, and both Russian and Ukrainian authorities.