Thousands of soldiers from African countries are fighting for Russia on the battlefields of Ukraine. If they are captured, no one in Russia is interested in them anymore.
The International League for Human Rights estimates that there are up to 4,000 soldiers from African countries in the ranks of the Russian army. Among them is Hassan (name changed - ed.) from Egypt - one of the many non-Russian fighters captured in Ukraine, ARD reports.
His words cannot be independently verified - journalists can only talk to him in the presence of prison officials, the German public media continues. Hassan says he lived in Russia before the war against Ukraine began. "I studied economics in Russia, my brother is also there, and my wife is Russian."
There are other captured fighters from Africa - mainly from Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone or Cameroon, but also from other parts of the continent. The International League for Human Rights estimates that the number of foreign soldiers in the ranks of the Russian army increased by a third between September 2025 and February 2026.
As can be seen in this prison, of the 200 prisoners that reporters were able to see, about half are from abroad, ARD specifies.
"You will not be on the frontline"
Hasan says he did not sign up to participate in combat operations "They told me - don't worry, you will work in the security sector, you will not be on the frontline." But a little later, he was sent there. "Suddenly, I found myself in a camp and began training: that's how I realized that I would have to fight, and not against my will - I would have to carry out the commander's orders."
Many Africans confirm Hassan's words - they say they were lured to Russia with false promises. The International League for Human Rights makes the same observation: "Many potential fighters are lured with misleading advertisements, for example, by promises of civilian employment in Russia, military assignments away from the front or easy access to Europe."
A model that brings advantages to Russia
The advantage for Russia is obvious: if foreigners are purposefully recruited instead of Russians, no one in Russia will pay attention to this. In addition, foreigners cost the Russian army much less than Russian men. For Ukraine, foreign fighters are formally considered Russians, even if they are Egyptian citizens like Hassan, ARD points out.
However, this formality is becoming a problem for Hassan and the other foreigners in prison, because: "I see that exchanges are taking place, many of my friends were released, but only Russians - people like me from Egypt, Sri Lanka, Nepal, India or other Arabs are not involved in the exchanges".
Hassan also told the German public media that he has been in prison for more than two years. He last spoke to his wife in Russia on the phone a year ago, and communicates with his family by letter.
He is mainly interested in higher-ranking soldiers.
The fact that the Ukrainians are only exchanging Russians is mainly due to Russia itself: in Ukraine there is a coordination headquarters that is responsible for the exchange of prisoners of war with Russia. They also say: Russia is not interested in foreigners like Hassan at all - Russia only wants to release the soldiers with higher ranks.
Hasan cannot believe that he has been abandoned by the country for which he risked his life. He tells ARD that he is remaining patient and hopes that he will be able to return to his wife one day. "It is not up to me, I cannot do anything. I believe in God that one day he will bring me back to Russia so that I can see my wife again. I pray for this every day," the ARD report also says.