Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister says 55 nationals have been killed and 272 recruited into the Russia-Ukraine war, as the government vows to crack down on illegal enlistment networks.
Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, says at least 55 Ghanaians have been killed in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Speaking after a visit to Kyiv, Ablakwa disclosed that 272 Ghanaians were believed to have been lured into fighting since 2022, with two currently held as prisoners of war. He described the development as “depressing and frightening,” stressing that Ghanaian youths must not be used as “human shields” in a foreign conflict.
Despite Ghana’s diplomatic ties with Russia, the minister said the government would intensify efforts to dismantle illegal recruitment networks operating within its jurisdiction. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also stated that over 1,780 Africans from 36 countries are currently fighting in the Russian army, amid growing reports of Africans being recruited with promises of better opportunities abroad.
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