Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry makes a statement about captured African mercenaries on the side of Russia

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has expressed serious concern over the actions of Russia, which is trying to expand its influence using the African Mercenary Corps and related Russian private military companies on the territory of several African countries. About this stated at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

Ukrainian diplomats noted that Russian mercenaries fuel internal conflicts and contradictions in African countries, which leads to an increase in the number of victims. In addition, they engage in illegal mineral extraction, using these resources to finance Russia’s war against Ukraine.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that among the prisoners taken by Ukraine during hostilities, there are people from Africa and the Middle East. According to the Ukrainian side, Russia often involves these foreigners in the war against Ukraine by deception or coercion.

The Ministry appealed to foreigners from Africa and the Middle East to avoid serving in the Russian army and, if they are sent to the front, to take advantage of the opportunity to voluntarily surrender within the framework of the “I want to live” project, saving their lives.

“We strongly condemn the Russian Federation’s cynical use of citizens of African and Arab countries as mercenaries, whom the Kremlin regime uses as “cannon fodder” in battles against the Defense Forces of Ukraine on the territory of our state.”, – emphasized the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.

In addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on the governments of friendly African and Arab countries to publicly condemn such actions by Russia and do everything possible to stop this criminal practice.

It is worth recalling that during the Russian offensive on the Kharkiv region, Russia actively used mercenaries from the African Corps.