More than 1,700 African nationals are currently fighting for Russia in its war against Ukraine, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Wednesday, accusing Moscow of using deceptive tactics to recruit fighters from across the continent.

Speaking at a joint news conference alongside Ghana’s Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Sybiha said Ukraine had identified at least 1,780 African citizens serving in the Russian army. According to Ukrainian data, the fighters come from 36 different African countries.

“We clearly see that Russia is trying to drag African citizens into a deadly war,” Sybiha said. “According to our data, there are currently over 1,780 citizens from the African continent fighting in the Russian army.”

Sybiha added that Ukraine is in discussions with multiple African governments to prevent their citizens from being recruited into the conflict through alleged trafficking and fraudulent schemes.

Russian authorities have denied any illegal recruitment of African nationals. However, reports have surfaced in recent months suggesting that African men were lured to Russia with promises of civilian jobs, only to be deployed to the frontlines in Ukraine. These allegations have heightened diplomatic tensions between Moscow and several African nations.

Ghana’s Foreign Minister Ablakwa said many of those fighting for Russia were victims of deception, recruited through online platforms, including the dark web, under the guise of ordinary employment opportunities.

“They have no security background. They have no military background. They have not been trained,” Ablakwa said. “They were just lured and deceived, and then put on the frontlines.”

Ablakwa expressed solidarity with Ukraine and called for a ceasefire to end the war, which marked its fourth anniversary on Tuesday. He also said he would request Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to release two Ghanaian prisoners of war who were captured while fighting for Russia.

Ghana is set to chair the African Union regional bloc next year. Ablakwa said that during its presidency, Ghana would prioritize raising public awareness about trafficking networks and fraudulent recruitment schemes allegedly linked to Russian forces.

The war in Ukraine, now entering its fifth year, continues to draw international attention as new dimensions of foreign involvement emerge.