Ukraine war since 2022, about 55 dead
Ghana's Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, reported that approximately 272 Ghanaians have been recruited into the Russia-Ukraine war, with 55 confirmed dead. Many were reportedly lured by fraudulent job offers, and the government is currently negotiating the release of two captured citizens.
Why it matters
This reveals a concerning trend of human trafficking and exploitation of foreign nationals in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has revealed that an estimated 272 Ghanaians are believed to have been drawn into the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war since 2022, many of them lured through fraudulent job offers before being deployed to the frontlines.
Speaking to journalists on Monday, July 27, 2026, shortly after 150 Ghanaians were evacuated from South Africa, Ablakwa said the figures emerged during his recent visit to Kyiv, where he learned the scale of Ghanaian involvement in the conflict.
He further revealed that about 55 of these people have been reported dead, while two others remain in captivity as prisoners of war.
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