Russia forces students from Nigeria, other African countries to fight in Ukraine for Work permit renewal

According to Bloomberg on June 9, citing unidentified European authorities, Russia has increased the number of soldiers for its operation in Kharkiv Oblast, forcing “thousands of migrants and foreign students,” some of whom may be Nigerians, to fight alongside its troops in its battle against Ukraine.

On May 10, Moscow initiated a fresh onslaught in Kharkiv Oblast, and it is said to have progressed up to 10 kilometers (6 miles) when Ukraine stopped it close to the first line of defense.

President Volodymyr Zelensky declared on June 8 that the Russian soldiers’ offensive in the Kharkiv Oblast had failed.

According to the Bloomberg report, Russian officials have been threatening African students and young workers not to extend their visas unless “they agree to join the military.” Such a tactic was first deployed by the Russian Wagner mercenary group, Bloomberg reported.

While Russia has also been enlisting convicts, some Africans on work visas “have been detained and forced to decide between deportation or fighting,” Bloomberg cited an anonymous European official.

“Some of those people had been able to bribe officials to stay in the country and still avoid military service,” the report reads.

This is not the first time the Russian military is reported to have started bringing prisoners, migrants, and foreign nationals into its ranks.

Last September, the U.K. Defense Ministry reported that Russia was stepping up its campaign to recruit foreigners in neighboring countries and exploited migrant workers for its war against Ukraine.

The push to recruit foreigners and migrant workers “allows the Kremlin to acquire additional personnel for its war effort in the face of mounting casualties,” the ministry said.