26-year-old Notoué Alex from the capital of Cameroon, Yaounde, arrived in Russia in 2022 in search of a good job. Two years later, he found himself in the ranks of the Russian army, and then - on the front in Ukraine, as his father says. "We have not had any contact with him since then. We don't know if he is alive", he points out.
There is also no contact with another citizen of Cameroon - Boris Ngandeu. According to his relatives, he left for Germany, but when transferring at one of the Russian airports he was detained by the police. Later, they found out that Boris ended up on the front - probably after signing a corresponding contract. This year, the family was told that he had died in Ukraine.
A similar case is that of Fonts Towall from Cameroon, who thought he was signing a work contract in Canada, his relatives say. Then he suddenly contacted them from Russia and said that he was serving in the Russian army. They have also lost contact with him, he probably died, his daughter Elvira told DW.
They go to Russia to earn
This type of story is becoming more and more common in Cameroon - as Cameroonian activist Nzui Manto reports on his Facebook page. According to his data, at least 65 Cameroonians probably died in Ukraine. These are people whose relatives wrote to the activist, trying to find their loved ones who ended up in the Russian army.
In the comments under the posts about the deceased Cameroonians, some users openly declare that they would have knowingly gone to the front. "I earn about 150,000 francs (about $260) and I only see my family occasionally. And in Russia they offer me three million francs (about $5,000) a month. What should I die for - for 150,000 or for three million?", writes one of the commentators. However, from the messages of relatives searching for missing loved ones, it becomes clear that the families do not receive the compensation promised in the event of death - despite the assurances given when signing the contracts.
According to Manto, recruitment for the Russian army takes place through Russian embassies. There are also recruitment networks that lure Cameroonian citizens to Russia. "Among them are students who come to study in Russia, or people who go with work contracts, in the end many end up in the Russian army to avoid ending up in prison or being deported", explains Manto.
Migration from Cameroon to Russia is growing
The growth in the number of migrants from Cameroon to Russia over the past three years is the largest of all African countries. In 2022, 1,280 people arrived from Cameroon, and in 2024 - already over 4,600, according to statistics.
The standard of living in Cameroon, as in other African countries, is low. And the country, like the neighboring Central African Republic, is entering Russia's zone of influence through the "Wagner" group, explains one of the Russian Africa specialists to DW, who requested anonymity. He believes that in Cameroon, Russia has channels for recruiting both locals and military specialists. "In Cameroon, the conditions of service are harsh, the salaries of junior officers even in the elite rapid response battalions are about 300 euros", the specialist points out.
According to analysts from the hh.ru job platform, Cameroon is gaining popularity among Russian companies for hiring workers. This is confirmed by statistics from the Russian authorities, which establish an increase in migration from Nigeria, Togo, Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic and Gambia. In two years, the number of people arriving from Africa in Russia has increased by 51 percent - from 73.5 thousand people in 2022 to 111 thousand in 2024. The true purpose of the visits is often unclear, many claim that they come for "tourism". It is also unknown how many of these people remain in Russia and how many use it as a transit point.
"Africa is full of conflicts and is poor"
Historian Irina Filatova, who specializes in Africa, notes that the growth in migration from this continent is part of a global trend. "Africa is poor and full of conflicts. In these conditions, there is simply no way that emigration cannot become a business." She suggests that the increase in migrants from Cameroon may be related to military cooperation between the countries and the expansion of business ties. Filatova believes that active Russian propaganda may have contributed to this. "In the public sphere, Russia is asserting itself as a strong anti-colonial state. Social networks and the memory of Soviet aid play an important role."
The director of the Russian Center for Migration Studies Dmitry Poletaev, for his part, notes that compared to other regions, migration flows from Africa to Russia remain weak - people come mainly to study. The expert's opinion is that this is connected with everyday racism and xenophobia: the attitude towards Africans in Russia is tense, which is explained, among other things, by the historical absence of close contacts. However, taking into account the economic difficulties in African countries, Russia will probably begin to attract migrants from there more actively, the researcher admits.
Author: Alexey Strelnikov